UK consultation: proposed changes to the F-gas HFC phasedown – 2 weeks to respond
The UK Government is consulting on changes to the hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) phasedown schedule under the Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases Regulations 2015 (GB F-gas Regulation) in Great Britain (GB). If you rely on HFCs or place pre‑charged equipment on the GB market, you can share your views to shape the phasedown of HFC by 11:59pm on 17 December 2025. Responses may be made via the online Citizen Space survey, with alternative channels by email or post specified in the consultation notice.
The proposals would tighten and accelerate HFC supply reductions from 2027, with further steps through to 2050, to deliver extra emissions savings and align with the UK’s international commitments to phase down HFC production under the Kigali Amendment.
Recap: what is the F‑gas Regulation?
Fluorinated greenhouse gases (F-gas) are powerful greenhouse gases used widely in refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pumps (RACHP), foams, aerosols, electrical equipment, solvents and fire protection. The GB F-gas Regulation aims to cut F‑gas emissions by around two‑thirds by 2030, through measures including: an HFC supply phasedown enforced through annual quota allocations; bans on placing product and equipment on the market; obligations to contain, check leaks, recover and destroy; and certification schemes. In particular, annual quotas specified in Annex 5 ratchet down the amount of HFC that can be placed on the market and imposes containment, servicing and certification rules. The government now aims to go further to meet UK carbon budgets.
Consultation Scope
The government proposes to amend Annex 5 to tighten the GB HFC phasedown schedule, by:
- Adjusting the percentage phasedown from 1 January 2027; and
- Adding additional staged reductions from 2030 through to 2050, aiming towards ~98.6% by 2048.
The consultation invites views on this proposal, to assess technical feasibility and real‑world impacts across RACHP markets. We would expect that the responses may cover impact on quota availability, refrigerant choices for new and existing equipment, servicing and maintenance practices, workforce skills/certification and product timelines.
Convergence with the EU F-Gas Regulations?
In contrast, the EU’s F‑gas Regulation 2024 (EU F-gas Regulation) is on a clear path to a near‑total exit from HFCs: it drives HFC quotas down to zero placement on the EU market by 2050 and phases down HFC production to 15% of 2011–2013 levels by 2036, using allocated production rights. It also has broader and earlier product bans across RACHP: Annex IV extends prohibitions across more categories (e.g., all domestic refrigerators/freezers containing any F‑gas) on a staged timeline to 2035. It also adds trade controls, including export restrictions from 12 March 2025 for certain high-GWP F‑gas equipment.
The UK Government’s the proposed 98.6% reduction by 2048 is convergent in ambition to the EU F-gas Regulation but still is a reduction not an exit: it follows GB’s own percentage-reduction schedule rather than the EU’s hard “zero by 2050” market model. Cross-border supply chains – including across GB and Northern Ireland, where EU F-gas Regulation applies – thus face dual compliance systems and separate quota pools, with potential timing differences in bans and market access rules and with EU export restrictions interacting with GB‑bound product flows.
Why this consultation matters
An accelerated HFC phasedown would have broad implications across supply chains for refrigerants, equipment manufacturers and importers, installers and service providers, and end users in sectors reliant on RACHP technologies. A steeper supply curve can drive earlier transition to low‑GWP alternatives, but also tightens quota availability and could affect price, availability and product choices in the near to medium term. The consultation signals the UK’s intention to remain aligned with, and in some respects go beyond, international commitments under Kigali, while seeking to preserve headroom to support strategic roll‑outs such as heat pumps during the transition.
