Fairness is fundamental to the legitimacy of the Seventh Carbon Budget. Where transition costs are experienced early and unevenly, while benefits arrive later or are less visible, public consent cannot be assumed. The current approach to funding energy policy risks placing disproportionate burdens on households with the fewest options, while weakening incentives to move away from fossil fuels. If unaddressed, this risks undermining a central delivery pathway for the Seventh Carbon Budget. (Conclusion, Paragraph 129)