UK gas storage: how much gas is in store
The gas held in Great Britain's storage sites, updated each afternoon from National Gas's published figures, with the same date in earlier years for context. Storage is one part of how Britain gets its gas, and what it mostly affects for households is price.
The last 90 days
Gas in store each day, against the same dates a year earlier. Storage usually fills through the summer and is drawn down through the winter.
Figures for 12 November 2026, published by National Gas at 15:30. Source: National Gas Transmission Data Portal, PUBOBJ330/333.
The same date in earlier years
The space available has changed over these years (17.3 TWh in 2021, 35.5 TWh now), so the amount of gas in store is a fairer comparison than the percentage.
| Date | In store | Space in use | Today vs then |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 November 2026 | 9.8 TWh | 28% | — |
| 12 November 2025 | 17.2 TWh | 49% | 57% |
| 12 November 2024 | 27.8 TWh | 79% | 35% |
| 12 November 2023 | 28.5 TWh | 80% | 34% |
| 12 November 2022 | 21.3 TWh | 83% | 46% |
| 12 November 2021 | 17.2 TWh | 100% | 57% |
Over the 5 previous years (2021 to 2025) the gas in store on this date ranged from 17.2 to 28.5 TWh. National Gas's published series starts in 2021. Where a date has no reading, the nearest day within three days is used.
Where storage fits
Storage is a top-up, not the main supply. Averaged over five years, 43% of UK gas came from the UK Continental Shelf, 35% by pipeline from Norway, 21% as LNG by ship and 1% through the interconnectors with Belgium and the Netherlands (DESNZ, Statutory Security of Supply Report, December 2025). Gas has to arrive from one of those before it can be put in store. In January to March 2026, Norway supplied 54% of the UK's gas imports (DESNZ, Energy Trends, June 2026).
Storage is drawn on alongside those sources, most of all in cold spells. In winter 2024/25 it supplied 8% of demand on the transmission system, and between 4% and 7% in the winters before (DESNZ, December 2025).
Great Britain's storage is small. There are eight sites, with a maximum capacity of 3.2 billion cubic metres (DESNZ, December 2025). The government's position, given in the Commons in January 2025, is that “our varied sources of gas supply mean that the UK is less reliant on storage than some other European countries” (Hansard, 13 January 2025). For the longer story of this year's low storage and what the headlines get wrong, read does the UK only have a few days of gas?
For households, storage matters mainly through price. Wholesale gas costs feed into Ofgem's energy price cap, which is set every three months, so a change in wholesale prices reaches bills at the next cap period rather than overnight. There is nothing to stock up on: the sensible steps are knowing when the cap changes, keeping your home warm efficiently and knowing where help is if bills are hard to pay. The January 2027 price cap →
Common questions
How much gas is in storage in Great Britain?
National Gas's figures for 12 November 2026 put 9.8 TWh of gas in GB storage sites, 28% of the space available. On the same date last year it was 17.2 TWh. The figure is published once a day and this page updates when it is.
Does low gas storage mean the gas could run out?
Storage is one source of gas among several, not the main one. Over five years, 43% of UK gas came from the UK Continental Shelf, 35% by pipeline from Norway, 21% as LNG by ship and 1% through interconnectors (DESNZ, December 2025). Storage tops these up in cold spells: in winter 2024/25 it supplied 8% of demand on the transmission system. A low storage figure on its own does not tell you whether supply will meet demand; National Gas assesses that each year in its Winter Outlook.
Why don't you show how many days of gas are left?
Because the number misleads. Dividing the gas in store by a day's demand assumes the North Sea, Norway and LNG all stop at the same moment, which is not how the system works. Gas arrives every day from those sources and storage is drawn on alongside them.
What does low storage mean for my energy bill?
The likelier effect for households is on price rather than supply. When storage is low, wholesale gas can cost more, especially in a cold spell, and wholesale costs feed into Ofgem's energy price cap, which is set every three months. A change in wholesale prices therefore shows up in bills at the next cap period, not overnight.
Why is Britain's gas storage smaller than other countries'?
Great Britain has eight storage sites with a maximum capacity of 3.2 billion cubic metres (DESNZ, December 2025). The government's position, given in the Commons in January 2025, is that the UK's varied supply sources make it less reliant on storage than some other European countries.
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- National Gas, Transmission Data Portal: PUBOBJ330 (storage, daily aggregated stock level) and PUBOBJ333 (storage, daily aggregated available capacity), kWh. Percentage in use = stock ÷ (stock + available capacity), our calculation.
- DESNZ, Statutory Security of Supply Report 2025 (December 2025): storage sites and capacity, the five-year supply mix, storage's share of winter demand.
- DESNZ, Energy Trends (June 2026 edition, covering January to March 2026).
- Ofgem, energy price cap.
- Hansard, Commons urgent question on gas storage levels (13 January 2025).
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For a web pageSource: <a href="https://www.preparedbritain.co.uk/trackers/gas-storage">PreparedBritain gas storage tracker</a>Source: PreparedBritain gas storage tracker, https://www.preparedbritain.co.uk/trackers/gas-storageThe page names the official source behind each figure. Need a chart or a breakdown? hello@preparedbritain.co.uk
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