Energy Bills and the Price Cap news from 2023
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- December 2023
Ofgem consults on making no wholesale cost adjustment to the price cap for October 2022 to September 2023
Ofgem has proposed making no adjustment to the energy price cap for wholesale costs incurred between October 2022 and September 2023, with responses to its consultation due by 17 January 2024.
Ofgem consults on one-off £16 price cap adjustment to recover bad debt costs
Ofgem has opened a consultation on a one-off £16 price cap adjustment, paid between April 2024 and March 2025, to let suppliers recover bad debt costs, with prepayment meter customers excluded.
Ofgem decides not to adjust price cap for Winter 22/23 wholesale variances
Ofgem has decided not to adjust the energy price cap for wholesale cost variances over Winter 22/23, and is consulting on a one-off £16 adjustment to cover bad debt.
Ofgem implements new consumer contact and customer service rules
Ofgem's new rules on contacting suppliers, support for customers in difficulty and publishing customer service performance took effect on 14 December 2023, after the fieldwork for its latest satisfaction survey.
Hydrogen levy changed to apply to gas shippers rather than energy suppliers
The planned hydrogen levy on household gas bills has been moved onto gas shippers rather than energy suppliers, after the original proposal drew a backlash, according to a Nesta report on energy levies.
Ofgem consulted on a wholesale cost adjustment to the price cap and technical changes to the Annex 2 model
Ofgem has set out minded-to positions on whether to adjust the energy price cap for wholesale costs incurred between October 2022 and September 2023, alongside proposed technical changes to its Annex 2 model.
Petitions with over 800,000 signatures handed to the Prime Minister on energy bills and cold homes
Petitions carrying more than 800,000 signatures have been handed to the Prime Minister, as new figures show 8.3 million UK adults living in cold damp homes this winter.
- November 2023
Prepayment meter regional rates for January to March 2024 added
The government has published Energy Price Guarantee regional unit rates and standing charges for prepayment meters covering January to March 2024, the final quarter of the scheme.
Energy Bill Support Scheme ends
The government's £400 Energy Bill Support Scheme has ended, with analysis published the same day finding poorly insulated homes will pay over £400 more to heat than homes at the government's efficiency target.
Ofgem to announce January 2024 unit rates
Which? has said its published appliance running costs will be updated once Ofgem announces January 2024 unit rates, with those rates and the running costs expected to rise.
Ofgem publishes updated default tariff cap levels for 1 January to 31 March 2024
Ofgem has set the default tariff cap for 1 January to 31 March 2024, raising the dual fuel direct debit level to £1,928, a 5% increase on the previous quarter.
Statutory Consultation on levelling standing charges published
Ofgem has published a statutory consultation to level standing charges so prepayment and direct debit customers pay the same daily charge, alongside a price cap rise of 5% from January 2024.
Citizens Advice published its response to the Ofgem consultation on an additional debt allowance
Citizens Advice has told Ofgem that its consultation on an extra debt allowance in the retail price cap does not show that current funding for debt-related costs is inadequate.
Which? warns cheap appliances can carry high running costs
Which? has published test-based annual running costs showing that some low-priced appliances, including a £7 kettle costing £50.74 a year to run, can cost more to run than the average model.
No repeat of universal £400 energy payment this winter
The UK Energy Research Centre says no repeat of last winter's universal £400 payment has been promised, with the price cap at £1,834 until 31 December.
Ofgem price cap set at £1,834 for winter 2023/24
Ofgem's price cap for a typical direct debit household stands at £1,834 a year until 31 December 2023, with the next level set from 1 January 2024.
Campaigners call on Chancellor for Emergency Energy Tariff and Help To Repay scheme
Health, poverty, housing and environmental organisations and academics have written to Chancellor Jeremy Hunt urging an Emergency Energy Tariff and a Help To Repay scheme for households in energy debt.
Coalition writes to Secretary of State urging leadership on prepayment meters scandal
The End Fuel Poverty Coalition has written to Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho urging a legislative ban on forced prepayment meters, an extension of Ofgem's ban to April 2024 and heightened monitoring of Scottish Power.
Forced prepayment meter moratorium lifted for compliant suppliers
The moratorium on forced prepayment meter installations, introduced in February 2023, was lifted from November 2023 for suppliers that met Ofgem's restart criteria.
Good Energy Default tariff rates change for non Direct Debit customers
Good Energy has ended the Direct Debit discount for non Direct Debit customers on its Default tariff from 1 November 2023, raising rates for those paying by other methods.
Government declines Emergency Energy Tariff and help to repay schemes in Autumn Statement
The Chancellor's Autumn Statement declined charity proposals for an Emergency Energy Tariff and ruled out a help to repay scheme, as Ofgem confirmed a 5% January price cap rise.
Ofgem launched a 'call for input' on standing charges
Ofgem opened a call for input on standing charges in November 2023, asking for views on the daily fees and possible alternatives, with responses accepted until January 2024.
Ofgem publishes statutory consultation on levelling standing charges
Ofgem has published a statutory consultation proposing to level standing charges between prepayment and direct debit customers, cutting bills for prepayment households by around £50 a year.
New prepayment meter rules extend protections for vulnerable people
Ofgem, Energy UK and the government set out new rules suppliers should follow from November 2023, adding checks before any involuntary prepayment meter installation.
- October 2023
Ofgem announces price cap fall for October 2023
Wholesale prices fell below the level of the Energy Price Guarantee, and the price cap was set to fall to £1,923 in October 2023, a Commons Library briefing has noted.
CREDS publishes preprint on energy impacts of cost-of-living crisis on British households
A CREDS preprint reports that British households used 8.4% less electricity and 10.8% less gas in winter 2022-23 than the winter before, yet still faced bills around £34 a month higher.
Ofgem announces energy debt at highest ever level of £2.6 billion
Ofgem has reported household energy debt of £2.6 billion, the highest level on record, prompting National Energy Action to call for a Help to Repay scheme and an enduring social tariff.
Ofgem opens policy consultation on additional debt-related costs allowance
Ofgem has opened a consultation on whether to add a temporary allowance to the price cap for extra debt-related costs, proposing a float from April 2024 and a later true-up.
Winter 2023 Voluntary Debt Commitment published by Energy UK
Energy UK, Citizens Advice and Ofgem have published a Winter 2023 Voluntary Debt Commitment, signed by fourteen domestic suppliers, setting out extra support for customers in payment difficulty from October 2023 to March 2024.
Ofgem reschedules wholesale cost review consultation and delays possible cap adjustment to April 2024
Ofgem has pushed back its follow-up consultation on wholesale cost allowances in the default tariff cap to late November or early December, delaying any cap adjustment to April 2024 at the earliest.
Energy debt question first asked in tracker at 8%
Consumer Scotland's energy tracker shows the share of Scottish households in energy debt rose from 8% in October 2023 to 19% in winter 2026, with total GB debt and arrears reaching £4.55bn.
Energy price cap reduced in October 2023
The energy price cap fell on 1 October 2023, cutting the maximum unit rate suppliers can charge on standard variable tariffs, before Ofgem confirmed a 5% rise for the following quarter.
flexi-2023 cost components change at 1 October 2023
ScottishPower has published revised third party cost components for its flexi-2023 variable tariff, showing the values applied to unit rates and standing charges from 1 October 2023.
Lower standing charges for prepayment households begin
From 1 October 2023 prepayment meter households pay lower standing charges than those on other payment methods, a change described by the Welsh Government as a welcome first step.
Ofgem confirms new debt engagement and repayment plan requirements
Ofgem has confirmed new licence rules requiring energy suppliers to offer debt repayment plans at the earliest opportunity and to base them on what a household can actually afford to pay.
Ofgem re-publishes price cap levels for cap period 11a under new 2023 TDCV values
Ofgem has re-published the October to December 2023 price cap levels using new 2023 Typical Domestic Consumption Values, putting the dual fuel direct debit cap at £1,834.
Quarterly change to Flexi variable costs from 1 October 2023
ScottishPower has published the Flexi variable cost values that apply from 1 October 2023, showing quarterly changes to network, environmental and smart meter charges across its regional tables.
Revised EBIT allowance methodology takes effect in the price cap
Ofgem has revised the profit margin allowance in the energy price cap to a fixed and variable element, and reissued the October to December cap levels on new consumption figures.
Scottish Power granted 124 forced entry warrants by Berkshire Magistrates Court
Scottish Power obtained 124 forced entry warrants from Berkshire Magistrates Court to install prepayment meters, with campaigners saying only 20 were examined in detail and asking a Commons committee to take urgent evidence.
Second £300 cost of living payment made to means-tested benefit recipients
The second instalment of the government's £900 cost of living payment, worth £300, was paid to households on means-tested benefits during October and November 2023.
Second Warm This Winter Tariff Watch report published
The second Warm This Winter Tariff Watch report finds 337 fixed tariffs priced above the Ofgem price cap, an average exit fee of £138 and supplier operating costs of £242 per customer.
UNC mod 840 change reduces prepayment cap level
Ofgem's October price cap methodology change equalising Unidentified Gas allocation between prepayment and non-prepayment customers cuts the prepayment cap level by £51, part offset by a £9 bad debt allowance.
Winter 2023 Voluntary Debt Commitment comes into force
Energy UK's Winter 2023 Voluntary Debt Commitment, agreed with Citizens Advice and Ofgem, took effect in October 2023 and runs to March 2024, with fourteen suppliers signed up to extra support for customers in payment difficulty.
- September 2023
British Gas reopens Energy Support Fund for new applications
British Gas has reopened its Energy Support Fund for new applications from 2 October 2023, offering grants of up to £1,500 within a £100 million support package.
ECIU analysis finds winter bills set to stay at £1,200 as support ends
ECIU analysis of Cornwall Insight's price cap forecast finds the average winter energy bill will stay at £1,200 as government support ends for most households.
Standing charge discount provision added
The Energy Price Guarantee scheme documents for Great Britain were updated on 27 September 2023 to let the scheme deliver support as a discount on standing charges rather than unit rates alone.
Ofgem publishes decision on Involuntary PPM rules
Ofgem has confirmed new licence rules on involuntary prepayment meters, widening the group that must never be given one to households with children under two and those occupied only by adults over 75.
Consumer groups warn this winter will be as brutal as the last with no repeat of crisis support
Consumer groups told MPs that more than a million vulnerable households missed energy crisis support last winter, and warned this winter will be as brutal with no repeat of the schemes.
NEA tells MPs over a million vulnerable households missed energy crisis support
National Energy Action told MPs that more than a million vulnerable households missed energy crisis support last winter, with £444 million of earmarked funding left unspent by the energy department.
CES and CESS amend bill formats
Ofgem has closed its investigation into Community Energy Scheme UK and Community Energy Scheme Stoke after the firms completed agreed changes to bills, contracts and exit rights.
Commons committee backs social tariff
The House of Commons Energy Security and Net Zero Committee backed a social tariff for specific groups of consumers in September 2023, as part of a long-running campaign for energy tariff reform.
Organisations line up to back energy tariff reform
More than 140 charities, organisations and MPs have signed an open letter urging the Prime Minister to consult on and deliver an energy social tariff before winter.
Warm This Winter report card on Government energy bills progress published
A Warm This Winter report card on the Government's progress against eight measures to tackle the energy bills crisis found no progress on half of them and one going backwards.
- August 2023
ECIU analysis finds inefficient homes to pay around £720 more under October 2023 price cap
ECIU analysis published on 25 August 2023 finds homes rated EPC band F will pay £721 more a year than band C homes under Ofgem's October 2023 price cap of £1,923.
Ofgem publishes updated default tariff price cap levels for 1 October to 31 December 2023
Ofgem has set the default tariff price cap for 1 October to 31 December 2023 at £1,923 for a typical dual fuel direct debit household, a fall of £151 or 7 per cent.
Prepayment meter regional rates for October to December 2023 added
The government added Energy Price Guarantee regional unit rates and standing charges for prepayment meters covering October to December 2023 to its published rates page.
Citizens Advice publishes Winter Warning report calling for targeted energy bill support
Citizens Advice has published a Winter Warning report arguing that millions of households face a winter as bad as or worse than last year and calling for targeted energy bill support.
Citizens Advice warns of record energy debt help requests before winter
Citizens Advice reports record demand for energy debt help before winter, with 7.8 million people borrowing to pay energy bills in the first half of 2023 and a forecast 26% rise in debt cases by year end.
Which? warns 13 million households not heating homes when cold due to bill fears
Which? has estimated that 13 million UK households did not heat their homes when it was cold last winter, and has repeated its call for a targeted social tariff before the October price cap is set.
Emergency credit increased from £1 to £3
Power NI raised the emergency credit available on its Keypad prepayment meters in Northern Ireland from £1 to £3 on 1 August 2023, giving households a larger buffer before supply is cut off.
Government directs Ofgem to end PPM premium
In August 2023 the Government directed Ofgem to permanently end the premium paid by prepayment meter customers, with a Call for Evidence on levelling the standing charge.
Ofgem announces cap fall to £1,923 for Q4 2023
Ofgem set the default tariff cap for October to December 2023 at £1,923 for a typical dual fuel household, down from £2,074, though standing charges rose and the Energy Bills Support Scheme has ended.
Ofgem set out options to levelise prices across payment methods
Ofgem has set out options for levelling the standing charges paid by prepayment meter customers with those paid by other households, as part of a wider review of debt-related costs in the price cap.
- July 2023
NEA and consumer groups call on Government to publish social tariff consultation
National Energy Action, Energy UK, Citizens Advice, Fair By Design and MoneySavingExpert have urged the Government to publish its planned consultation on a social tariff and other bill support before Parliament returns in September.
Citizens Advice published its response to Ofgem's statutory consultation on the supplier profit margin allowance
Citizens Advice has opposed Ofgem's plan to raise the profit margin allowance inside the retail price cap, saying the proposal is not justified by evidence and would not serve consumers.
Energy Bills Support Scheme ends
The Energy Bills Support Scheme has ended, removing support that held the average bill 16 per cent below the Energy Price Guarantee rate, the End Fuel Poverty Coalition has said.
Fixed tariff availability doubles in July 2023
The number of fixed energy tariffs newly available on the UK market doubled in July 2023, from five in early 2023 to ten, according to the first Warm This Winter Tariff Watch report.
Government appears to rule out social tariff consultation
The Government appeared in July 2023 to rule out a consultation on a social tariff for energy, despite having said it intended to consult on options that summer.
Government reduces Energy Price Guarantee extra support to zero
The government cut the extra support paid through the Energy Price Guarantee to zero on 1 July 2023, ending a 3.77p per unit discount for Power NI customers and adding an estimated 14p a day to bills.
Government rejects Energy Bill amendments on forced PPM transfers
The Government has rejected backbench amendments to the Energy Bill that would have given it power to ban forced transfers of households onto prepayment meters, with further debate postponed to the autumn.
Intelligent Octopus Flux launched
Octopus Energy launched Intelligent Octopus Flux in July 2023, a bundled import and export tariff for homes with solar panels and a qualifying battery, with matching peak rates.
Ofgem reduces typical domestic consumption values used in price caps
Ofgem has cut the typical domestic consumption values used to calculate price cap bills, reducing assumed annual gas use by 17 per cent and electricity use by 7 per cent.
Prepayment meter customers no longer face the highest energy costs
Ofgem and Citizens Advice research finds prepayment meter customers have not faced the highest energy costs since July 2023, with satisfaction reaching a record 81% in January 2025.
Prepayment meter premium ended
From 1 July 2023 households on prepayment meters are no longer charged more for their energy than direct debit customers, ending a long-standing price premium.
Prepayment price penalty ends for prepayment customers
Legislation effective 1 July 2023 ends the prepayment price penalty, so households on prepayment meters should no longer pay more than Direct Debit customers, saving an estimated £45 a year on average.
Price cap becomes default price as it drops below Energy Price Guarantee level
The price cap became the default price for Great Britain on 1 July 2023 after it fell below the Energy Price Guarantee, which had held the average household bill at £2,500.
Price cap fell below EPG levels
The July 2023 price cap fell to £1,976, below the Energy Price Guarantee level, so household bills fell for the first time in almost three years and the guarantee stopped being a cost to government.
- June 2023
EBSS voucher redemption deadline
The deadline for redeeming Energy Bills Support Scheme vouchers passed at 11.59pm on 30 June 2023, with official data showing high levels of unclaimed payments in some of the poorest constituencies.
Energy Price Guarantee scheme closed
The Energy Price Guarantee, which discounted unit rates for every household with a domestic gas or electricity contract, closed on 30 June 2023 after nine months of operation.
Final date to activate EBSS prepayment vouchers
Prepayment meter customers have until 30 June 2023 to activate Energy Bills Support Scheme vouchers, including replacement vouchers issued after an earlier one expired.
Price cap falls below the Energy Price Guarantee level
Ofgem's price cap fell below the government's Energy Price Guarantee on 1 July 2023, so the cap once again sets maximum prices for direct debit and standard credit customers.
Parliamentary answer reports Alternative Fuel Payment delivery figures
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has told Parliament that the Alternative Fuel Payment delivered £200 to around 2 million off-gas-grid households, with over 85% paid automatically in February.
Energy Price Guarantee ended
The Energy Price Guarantee kept household gas and electricity prices constant from October 2022 until June 2023, after which Ofgem's price cap again set the maximum prices suppliers could charge.
Energy Price Guarantee extended at the same level to the end of June 2023
The Energy Price Guarantee was extended at the same level for three months from April to the end of June 2023, keeping a typical Great Britain household bill at around £2,500 a year.
Ofgem consults on Code to prevent involuntary PPM installations for vulnerable consumers
Ofgem has opened a statutory consultation on making its Involuntary Prepayment Meter Code of Practice binding licence conditions, with the aim of having the protections in place for winter 2023/24.
- May 2023
EBSS alternative funding scheme closes to new applications
The Energy Bills Support Scheme alternative funding route, which paid £600 to households in Northern Ireland without a direct electricity supplier relationship, closed to new applications on 31 May 2023.
Prepayment meter regional rates for July to September 2023 added
The government has added Energy Price Guarantee regional unit rates for prepayment meters covering July to September 2023 to its published rates page.
Next quarterly price cap update due 25 May 2023
Ofgem has confirmed that its next quarterly update to the energy price cap will be published on 25 May 2023, setting the level that applies from 1 July.
Ofgem sets July to September price cap at £2,074
Ofgem has set the default tariff price cap for 1 July to 30 September 2023 at £2,074 a year for a typical dual fuel direct debit household, down from £3,280.
Coalition submits joint written evidence to Energy Bill Public Bill Committee
The Warm This Winter coalition has told the Energy Bill Public Bill Committee that the Bill should be amended to cut bills and speed up net zero, in written evidence published on 24 May 2023.
Over 80 per cent of Energy Bill Support Scheme prepayment vouchers redeemed
Which? says over 80 per cent of Energy Bill Support Scheme vouchers for traditional prepayment meter customers have been redeemed, and calls for the remaining households to be reached before 30 June 2023.
NEA responds to Ofgem call for input on debt-related costs allowance in price cap
National Energy Action has published its response to Ofgem's call for input on the allowance for debt-related costs within the energy price cap, addressing over-allocation, cost levelisation and consumer outcomes.
Government responds to petition on unmetered tariff for elderly and disabled
The Government told petitioners on 11 May 2023 that it intends to consult on options for consumer energy protection in summer 2023, for measures applying from April 2024.
British Gas Energy Trust Individual and Family fund opens for applications
The British Gas Energy Trust reopened its Individual and Family fund on 2 May 2023, offering grants of up to £2,000 to clear energy arrears for households in England, Scotland and Wales.
Energy firms holding £280m of unclaimed Energy Bills Support Scheme payments
More than four million Energy Bills Support Scheme payments worth almost £280 million were still to be made or redeemed for October 2022 to February 2023, figures reported in the Mail on Sunday show.
New energy price cap set at £2,074, below the price guarantee level
Ofgem has confirmed a new energy price cap of £2,074 for an average annual bill, below the £2,500 level of the Energy Price Guarantee, cutting household costs by around £420.
Ofgem signals holistic review of operating cost allowances
Ofgem has concluded its first full review of the operating cost and debt allowances inside the energy price cap, cutting the total allowance by an average of £8 per customer.
Which? publishes appliance running costs research
Which? research published on 1 May 2023 found the annual running cost of a typical set of household appliances rose 58 per cent between October 2021 and April 2023, from £283 to £447.
Which? publishes principles for clear energy customer communications
Which? has published a policy report setting out five principles for energy suppliers to make billing and direct debit communications clearer, based on a survey of 2,082 UK adults.
- April 2023
Which? responds to news that a fifth of EBSS prepayment vouchers remain unredeemed
Which? has said a fifth of Energy Bill Support Scheme vouchers for traditional prepayment meter customers remain unredeemed, and called for action in the scheme's final weeks.
Energy Bill passes latest House of Lords stage with hydrogen levy amendment
The House of Lords has backed an amendment stopping energy firms passing hydrogen development costs to bill payers, but rejected a ban on forced entry to convert homes to hydrogen.
All British domestic suppliers sign updated Code of Practice on involuntary prepayment meter installations
Ofgem has published an updated voluntary Code of Practice on involuntary prepayment meter installations, signed by all British domestic suppliers, with tougher oversight and new protections for high-risk households.
NEA warns many vulnerable groups still face uncertainty under new prepayment meter code
National Energy Action has welcomed Ofgem's new prepayment meter code of practice as much needed, but warns that many vulnerable groups still face the threat of forced installation or remote switching.
Voluntary Code of Conduct to prevent forced PPM installations announced
Energy suppliers signed a voluntary code of conduct on 18 April 2023 intended to stop the forced installation of prepayment meters, a measure campaigners say does not go far enough.
Evidence period for Alternative Fuel Payment applications extended by 3 months to June 2022
Grant Shapps extended the Alternative Fuel Payment evidence window back to June 2022, so households that bought heating oil, LPG, biomass or solid fuel in bulk before winter can still claim £200.
Which? warns low-income households face £209 shortfall and calls for social tariff
Which? research published on 4 April 2023 estimates the poorest tenth of UK households will spend an average of £209 more on energy this financial year and calls for a targeted social tariff.
Analysis reveals regional gaps in Energy Bills Support Scheme delivery
Analysis of the first five months of the Energy Bills Support Scheme shows missed or unredeemed payments above four per cent in several areas of high fuel poverty, with £241m still owed.
Budget 2023 equalises prepayment meter and direct debit prices
The Spring Budget 2023 confirmed that prepayment meter prices would match direct debit prices from April 2023, ending the long-standing premium paid by households who top up.
Electricity-to-gas price ratio fell to 3.2 under the Energy Price Guarantee
Nesta analysis finds the electricity-to-gas price ratio reached a low of about 3.2 in April 2023 under the Energy Price Guarantee, against 3.5 under the default tariff cap.
Energy price cap due to rise in April 2023
The National Insulation Association has told a government consultation that a further 20% rise to the energy price cap was expected in April 2023, as it pressed for faster delivery of insulation under the ECO+ scheme.
Energy price cap falls to £3,280 for a typical dual fuel direct debit household
The energy price cap for a typical dual fuel household paying by direct debit fell to £3,280 on 1 April 2023, down almost £1,000 from the previous level.
Energy price cap support level changes from 1 April
Research for the Warm This Winter campaign finds 29 per cent of people in debt to their energy supplier as the Chancellor's price cap extension takes effect on 1 April.
flexi-2023 cost components change at 1 April 2023
ScottishPower has published revised third party cost components for its flexi-2023 variable tariff from 1 April 2023, with Transmission Network Use of System moving from the unit rate into the daily standing charge.
GBIS allowance included in the default tariff cap from April 2023
Ofgem has included an allowance for the Great British Insulation Scheme in the default tariff cap from April 2023, passing the cost of the renamed ECO+ scheme to billpayers.
Money Advice Trust research finds 5.5 million UK adults in energy bills debt
Money Advice Trust research estimates 5.5 million UK adults are in energy bills debt, with 2.1 million more people in arrears in April 2023 than in March 2022.
Ofgem price cap change brings highest standing charges since 2019
Ofgem's price cap from 1 April 2023 brings the highest standing charges since the cap began in 2019, up 64%, as National Energy Action warns 7.5 million households will be in fuel poverty.
Ofgem publishes Involuntary PPM Code of Practice agreed with suppliers
Ofgem has published an Involuntary Prepayment Meter Code of Practice, agreed with suppliers, setting out when customers may be moved onto prepayment meters without consent and how they must be treated.
Quarterly change to Flexi variable costs from 1 April 2023
ScottishPower has published the Flexi variable cost breakdown applying from 1 April 2023, showing a sharp fall in electricity distribution standing charges and a new transmission standing charge.
New rules require £30 starter credit on involuntary prepayment meter installations
From April 2023, suppliers installing a prepayment meter or switching a smart meter to prepay without consent must offer £30 credit or an equivalent non-disconnection period.
Standing charges reach new high, up 64%
Standing charges paid daily for grid access reached a new high on 1 April, up 64%, with almost half of the poorest households' energy spending now going on these fixed fees.
- March 2023
Energy Bill Relief Scheme to end and be replaced by Energy Bills Discount Scheme
The Energy Bill Relief Scheme for non-domestic customers ends on 31 March 2023 and is replaced from April by the Energy Bills Discount Scheme, at a reduced rate of support.
Government announces rebalancing of gas and electricity costs
The Heat Pump Association has welcomed government plans to rebalance gas and electricity costs, extend the Boiler Upgrade Scheme to 2028 and consult on a clean heat market mechanism.
Welsh Government statement on energy cost of living crisis
Jane Hutt MS has set out Welsh Government concerns over the energy market, the end of the £400 Energy Bill Support Scheme payment and the treatment of prepayment meter customers in Wales.
Power NI announces underlying unit price decrease offset by reduced EPG support
Power NI has cut its underlying residential electricity unit price by 6.61p per unit, but a larger reduction in Energy Price Guarantee support means bills rise 14 per cent from 1 April 2023.
Chancellor delivers Spring Budget 2023
Jeremy Hunt's Spring Budget extended the Energy Price Guarantee for three months, ended the winter support payment, removed the prepayment meter penalty and reclassified nuclear as sustainable.
Energy Bill Support Scheme ends, leaving households £67 a month worse off
National Energy Action says the Energy Bill Support Scheme has ended, cutting £67 a month from household support, while the Energy Price Guarantee is extended at its current level.
Energy Price Guarantee extended at £2,500 for three months to June 2023
The Chancellor has extended the Energy Price Guarantee at £2,500 for April to June 2023, delaying its planned rise to £3,000 and saving a typical household £160.
EPG extended to end of June 2023 and April to June rates added
The government extended the Energy Price Guarantee to the end of June 2023 and published the regional unit rates that apply to standard variable tariffs from April to June 2023.
Government announces prepayment standing charge compensation in the Budget
The UK Government said in its 15 March 2023 Budget that it will compensate prepayment customers for higher standing charges from July 2023 to March 2024, at a cost of £200 million.
NEA publishes response to Ofgem call for evidence on prepayment rules and protections
National Energy Action has published its response to Ofgem's call for evidence on prepayment rules, naming four areas it says need significant consideration before protections are settled.
Ofgem extends forced prepayment meter installation ban
Ofgem's chief executive announced on 14 March that the ban on forced prepayment meter installations would run beyond the end of March, lifting only if firms follow a new code of practice.
Citizens Advice publishes report recommending new energy bill support framework
Citizens Advice has published a report calling for the current system of energy bill support to be replaced by a state-determined social tariff funded by general taxation, with a new framework in place by spring 2024.
Government launches online portal for alternative fuel payment
The government has opened an online portal for households that heat with oil to claim the £200 alternative fuel payment, with applications accepted until 31 May 2023.
Which? responds to delayed Energy Bill Support Scheme payments for some Shell customers
Which? has said some Shell Energy customers will have part of their Energy Bill Support Scheme payments delayed until the Spring, and called on the supplier to act quickly.
Almost 1.2m customers disconnected from energy supply
Ofgem figures show almost 1.2 million customers were disconnected from their energy supply in the first three months of 2023, with average household energy debt above £1,200 on electricity.
Chancellor announces Energy Price Guarantee
The Chancellor announced the Energy Price Guarantee in March 2023 to address higher prepayment costs, a scheme later replaced by prepayment levelisation from April 2024.
Chancellor introduces Energy Price Guarantee
The Retail Energy Code Company has updated the methodology behind the payment method levelisation scheme that replaced the Energy Price Guarantee's prepayment unit rate discount from April 2024.
CIPHE responds to spring statement on energy bill support
The Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering has welcomed the three month extension of the energy price guarantee and the removal of the prepayment meter penalty, but says more is needed on fuel poverty.
Energy Bill Support Scheme ends
The Energy Bill Support Scheme, which gave every household in Great Britain a £400 discount on energy bills over winter 2022 to 2023, ended in March 2023 with no replacement announced.
Energy companies agree to stop force-fitting prepayment meters in vulnerable customers' homes
All UK energy suppliers have told the government they will stop force-fitting prepayment meters in vulnerable customers' homes, while magistrates have temporarily halted warrant approvals.
Energy Price Guarantee to remain at £2,500 until July
The Spring Budget kept the Energy Price Guarantee at £2,500 for a typical household until July 2023 instead of raising it to £3,000, but the £400 Energy Bill Support Scheme ended in April.
UK government announces plan to equalise prepayment and Direct Debit tariff costs
The UK government said in March 2023 that it would work to equalise the cost of prepayment and Direct Debit tariffs, addressing a gap in what households pay for the same energy.
Octopus Flux tariff launched
Octopus Flux, a variable import and export tariff for homes with solar panels and a battery, has been available since March 2023 and changes every three months with Ofgem's price cap.
Ovo and SSE launch fixed tariffs estimated to yield suppliers around £484 and £469 profit per customer
Analysis by Future Energy Associates estimates that two new one year fixed tariffs from Ovo and SSE will earn suppliers £484 and £469 profit per customer while costing households more than the price cap.
Spring Budget announces alignment of direct debit and pre-payment meter charges
The Spring Budget confirmed that charges for comparable direct debit and pre-payment meter customers would be aligned, ending the premium pre-payment customers pay for their energy.
- February 2023
Welsh Government Fuel Support Scheme application window closes
The Welsh Government Fuel Support Scheme stopped taking applications on 28 February 2023, closing a £200 payment that was open to households regardless of how they paid for energy.
Government announces online portal for Alternative Fuel Payment claims
Heating oil customers who missed the £200 Alternative Fuel Payment through their electricity account will be able to claim it through a government online portal running by 6 March 2023.
Ofgem to announce April to June price cap level
Ofgem will set the April to June price cap on February 27th, with suppliers writing to households within days, as Energy UK urges the government to hold the Energy Price Guarantee at £2,500.
Ofgem sets price cap at £3,280 for April to June 2023
Ofgem has set the energy price cap for 1 April to 30 June 2023 at £3,280 for a typical dual fuel direct debit household, down from £4,279, but the Energy Price Guarantee rises to £3,000.
Online portal opens for £600 EBSS alternative funding applications in Northern Ireland
The UK government has opened an online portal and telephone helpline so more than 28,000 Northern Ireland households without a direct electricity supplier can apply for £600 energy bill support.
Which? reports 1.42 million energy support vouchers unclaimed
Government data published on 14 February 2023 shows 1.42 million Energy Bills Support Scheme vouchers issued to prepayment meter customers in October and November 2022 were never redeemed.
Citizens Advice responds to DESNZ announcement on forced prepayment meter installations
Citizens Advice has welcomed a government announcement on forced prepayment meter installations but says suppliers must review whether prepayment is safe and that protection should cover remote switching of smart meters.
Energy Security Secretary claims all suppliers committed to ending forced prepayment meter installations
Grant Shapps has claimed all energy suppliers have committed to ending forced prepayment meter installations in vulnerable customers' homes, a move the fuel poverty charity National Energy Action calls right but insufficient.
Sir Robert Neill MP calls for inquiry into pre-payment meter scandal in House of Commons
Sir Robert Neill MP has told the House of Commons that the pre-payment meter scandal shows a flawed court process and requires an inquiry into those representing suppliers and Ofgem.
Fuel poverty charity calls for ban on forced prepayment meter installations
National Energy Action has called for a temporary ban on forced prepayment meter installations after reports that suppliers used warrants to enter customers' homes and fit the devices.
Campaign launched to keep Energy Price Guarantee at £2,500
Charities, energy trade body Energy UK and more than 70 organisations have backed Martin Lewis's call to postpone the rise in the Energy Price Guarantee from £2,500 to £3,000 on 1 April 2023.
Forced prepayment meter installations suspended
Forced prepayment meter installations have been suspended after an investigation into British Gas practices, with Consumer Scotland welcoming the pause as breathing space for new protections.
Ofgem opens Call for Input on proposed TDCV updates
Ofgem has opened a Call for Input on proposed updates to the gas and electricity Typical Domestic Consumption Values and the Economy 7 peak and off-peak split, with comments due by 27 March 2023.
Ofgem opens Call for Input on review of additional wholesale allowances in the price cap
Ofgem has opened a Call for Input on whether to review the shaping, imbalance and transaction cost allowances inside the energy price cap, with responses due by 1 March 2023.
Suppliers agree to stop force-fitting prepayment meters without consent
Energy suppliers agreed in February 2023 to stop force-fitting prepayment meters and switching smart meters to prepayment mode without consent, a voluntary pause that later gave way to licence conditions.
Times investigation exposes forced prepayment meter practices of major suppliers including British Gas
An undercover Times investigation published on 1 February 2023 exposed forced prepayment meter practices at major suppliers including British Gas, triggering a voluntary industry pause and an ongoing Ofgem investigation.
- January 2023
Compensation window closes for forced prepayment meter installations
The window for compensation over forced prepayment meter installations closed on 31 January 2023, covering moves made between 1 January 2022 and that date.
Government demands energy firms stop forcing customers onto prepayment meters
Grant Shapps has written to energy suppliers demanding they stop moving customers onto prepayment meters against their will, as Ofgem reviews whether firms took enough care.
Compensation window opens for forced prepayment installations
Ofgem has set out when households forced onto a prepayment meter between 1 January 2022 and 21 January 2023 can claim compensation, where their supplier did not follow the rules properly.
Prime Minister says consulting on options including a social tariff
The Prime Minister told the House of Commons on 18 January 2023 that the Government was consulting on options for energy bills, including a social tariff, as part of wider reforms of the retail energy market.
95 organisations call on Chancellor to introduce an energy social tariff
Ninety-five charities and non-profit organisations have written to the Chancellor calling for a social tariff, as a new Fuel Poverty Monitor warns of rising fuel poverty from April 2023.
Fuel Poverty Monitor 2021-22 published by NEA and Energy Action Scotland
National Energy Action and Energy Action Scotland have published the UK Fuel Poverty Monitor 2021-22, recommending a mandatory social tariff from April 2024, backed by 95 charities and non-profit organisations.
BEIS starts making EBSS payments in Northern Ireland
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy began paying Energy Bills Support Scheme grants in Northern Ireland in January 2023, three months after payments started in Great Britain.
Charities call for social energy tariff as research shows a quarter of over-60s in cold homes
Age UK polling shows a quarter of over-60s live in homes colder than they would like, as 100 charities and non-profits write to the Chancellor calling for a social energy tariff.
Citizens Advice publishes 'Kept in the dark' report on prepayment meters
Citizens Advice has republished findings from its January 2023 "Kept in the dark" report, which found more than 2 million people were disconnected from their energy supply at least once a month.
Economy 7 electricity tariffs rise by an average of 7.6%
Electricity-only Economy 7 customers saw average annual bills rise by £116 from 1 January 2023, a 7.6% increase driven largely by EDF and Scottish Power raising Economy 7 rates.
Energy price cap forecast to reach £4,266 a year from January 2023
Forecasts put the energy price cap at £4,266 a year for a typical household from January 2023, up from the £2,800 expected earlier in 2022, with low-income homes facing the sharpest squeeze.
EPC fuel prices updated with increases to all fuels
The January 2023 six monthly update to the fuel prices behind Energy Performance Certificates raised every fuel, but the new figures remain far below what households actually pay.
Gas costs push consumer electricity prices to four times 2021 levels
Ember analysis finds UK consumers paid four times more for electricity in January 2023 than two years earlier under Ofgem's price cap, as soaring gas costs drove the crisis peak.
Hypothermia cases in England surge during energy bills crisis
Hypothermia cases in England rose 82 per cent in December 2022 against the same month a year earlier, figures reported during the energy bills crisis show.
Quarterly price cap increase planned for January 2023
The End Fuel Poverty Coalition has written to Ofgem urging it to drop a planned quarterly price cap increase in January 2023 and to make five urgent reforms to the energy market.