Simon Francis
Simon Francis writes about the human and economic cost of the energy market, focusing on how government and industry decisions translate into fuel poverty and household hardship. He treats energy policy as a question of affordability and fairness, tracking the gap between political promises and the reality for people struggling with bills.
Fuel poverty and the politics of energy bills
At the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, Francis covers the intersection of energy prices, government policy and household finances, often through the lens of people unable to heat their homes or pay their bills. Many of his pieces follow government announcements on energy policy or the wider economy and test them against what they mean for low-income and vulnerable households. He writes about issues such as households unable to afford a government “distracted by its own survival”, the impact of rising standing charges, and the limits of short-term bill support compared to long-term reforms to tariffs and home energy efficiency. He frequently returns to the scale of fuel poverty, the risk of cold homes, and the knock-on pressures on health and social care systems.
Critiquing policy responses and regulatory decisions
Francis’s coverage highlights how policy design and regulatory decisions shape who benefits and who is left behind. He reports on Ofgem decisions and energy supplier practices, questioning whether regulatory changes protect or disadvantage people in or near fuel poverty. His articles often parse budgets, price cap updates, and new schemes in detail, distinguishing headline numbers from what will actually land on people’s bills. He pays particular attention to gaps in support, such as households on prepayment meters, people in poorly insulated homes, or those not reached by mainstream schemes. Across this work, he frames energy as an essential service where misaligned incentives and weak safeguards can quickly translate into debt, disconnections and hardship.
Amplifying civil society campaigns and evidence
Francis frequently brings in the work of charities, campaign groups and frontline organisations dealing with the consequences of fuel poverty. His stories often cite survey findings, coalition research or case studies from advice services to illustrate the lived experience behind energy statistics. He tracks coordinated calls for policy changes such as social tariffs, investment in home insulation, and protections for people at risk of disconnection. In doing so, he positions his reporting within a wider ecosystem of anti-poverty and consumer advocacy, using data and testimony to press for more ambitious and durable solutions.
Linking energy affordability to wider economic and social pressures
While his primary focus is energy and fuel poverty, Francis sets these issues in the context of broader economic strain. He links rising energy costs to the cost of living crisis, highlighting how energy bills interact with rent, food prices and stagnant wages. His coverage often notes the cumulative effect of these pressures on health, wellbeing and local services, treating fuel poverty as both a stand‑alone problem and a symptom of deeper structural issues. This framing allows him to approach energy affordability not just as a technical pricing story, but as a core part of economic and social policy.
4 more business journalists.
Adam McCulloch
Adam McCulloch covers business developments for Personnel Today, focusing on how changes in the wider economy affect hiring, job creation and workforce planning. He writes for an HR and people-management readership, treating business and labour market news through its impact on recruitment pipelines and day-to-day staffing decisions. He tracks labour market data, job postings and employer confidence as practical signals for employers. His reporting follows employment trends, recruitment cycles and sector shifts in vacancy volumes, linking turning points in hiring to external shocks, uncertainty and global pressures on business confidence. He often connects domestic hiring conditions to geopolitical tension and other international risks. His coverage is concise and news-driven, highlighting key figures, turning points and business implications to give HR and line managers a fast, fact-based view of how business conditions are reshaping recruitment, staffing and workforce plans.
Aidan Fortune
Aidan Fortune is a business journalist who covers the commercial realities of the convenience retail sector for trade title Convenience Store. He focuses on how fascia, supplier and union decisions play out in day-to-day life for independent and franchise retailers. His core beat is the business side of convenience, especially symbol and franchise fascias such as Morrisons Daily and other branded formats. He reports on wholesale supply, franchise terms, retailer recruitment, and how they affect margins, range, service and competitiveness. He covers operational disruption, labour disputes and supply chain risk with a focus on store-level impact and risk management. He also reports on openings, refits and format changes, using individual stores as case studies. His analysis of trading conditions, costs, regulation and category trends is grounded in retailer experience and trade data.
Albert Toth
Albert Toth stands out for business coverage that tracks how boardroom and industrial decisions disrupt everyday life. He reports for The Independent, focusing on the intersection of workplace disputes, transport networks and the wider economy. His business beat centres on the real-world impact of strikes, industrial action and other developments that might otherwise feel abstract. He explains how these stories translate into costs, choices and disruption for the public, using clear, practical language. A core part of his work is service-led reporting on strikes and transport disruption, including guides to upcoming tube walkouts. He organises information around what readers need to plan: dates, routes, affected services and the scale and phases of expected disruption.
Alberto Nardelli
Alberto Nardelli covers the collision between European economic policy and global power politics for Bloomberg, tracking how decisions in Brussels shape trade, industry and business exposure to geopolitical risk. He focuses on EU trade rules and industrial strategy, especially when the bloc deploys tougher tools to manage global competition. His reporting follows how strategies on trade, technology, security, sanctions and sensitive technologies become concrete measures that affect companies, markets and cross-border supply chains. He closely reads official documents, confidential drafts and the fine print of EU decisions, explaining how new instruments are designed, negotiated and presented inside institutions. His work often centers on the EU’s response to China, global trade tensions and measures aimed at de-risking, screening investments and protecting critical infrastructure, with stories that spell out sector exposure, policy levers and the diplomatic context behind key decisions.