Energy Bills and the Price Cap news, page 16
- January 2023
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.
- December 2022
UK government confirms voucher delivery for £600 Northern Ireland energy bill support
The UK government has confirmed that around 500,000 Northern Ireland households without direct debits will receive £600 energy bill support as vouchers issued from mid-January 2023.
Default tariff (price cap) factsheet withdrawn
The government withdrew its Energy Security Bill factsheet on the default tariff price cap on 29 December 2022, after removing the Energy Price Cap measure from the Bill.
Bulb sale process concluded
The sale of Bulb Energy concluded on 20 December 2022 after a 10-month process, with its 1.5 million customers transferred to HiveCo, owned by the Octopus Energy Group.
Joint letter sent to energy firms over prepayment voucher access
Five consumer and energy organisations have written to energy suppliers calling for immediate action after a third of Energy Bill Support Scheme vouchers sent to traditional prepayment customers went unredeemed.
Which? responds to unredeemed Energy Bill Support Scheme vouchers
Which? says a third of Energy Bill Support Scheme vouchers sent to traditional prepayment customers have not been redeemed, and has joined other bodies in writing to energy firms.
Government confirms £600 single payment for Northern Ireland households and £200 Alternative Fuel Payment for Great Britain
The government has confirmed a single £600 payment for all Northern Ireland households and a £200 Alternative Fuel Payment for Great Britain homes using fuels such as heating oil, with payments starting in January 2023.
Christmas prepayment compulsion ban period begins
Electricity and gas suppliers in Northern Ireland have begun a Christmas period during which they will not compel customers in debt onto a prepayment meter unless the customer asks for it.
MPs debate prepayment meter self-disconnection and call for a ban
MPs debated self-disconnection of prepayment meters in the Commons on 15 December 2022 and agreed a motion urging the Government to outlaw the practice and halt forced switches.
Energy UK publishes briefing on supplier support for customers as bills rise
Energy UK has published a briefing setting out the support energy suppliers give customers, including around £54 million of discretionary help on top of more than £1 billion in mandatory schemes each year.
Investigation reveals almost 500,000 court warrants for forced PPM installations since end of lockdown
An investigation for the i paper found energy firms secured almost 500,000 court warrants to install prepayment meters in the homes of customers in debt since the end of lockdown.
BEIS minister confirms £200 Domestic Alternative Fuel Payment timing
A BEIS minister has told MPs the £200 Domestic Alternative Fuel Payment will be paid in the New Year, with most households receiving it through their electricity bills.
Charities and consumer groups write joint letter to energy firms on prepayment customer access to support
Five consumer and anti-poverty organisations wrote jointly to energy suppliers in December 2022 demanding immediate action so traditional prepayment meter customers could access government bill support.
Charter debt repayment reduction takes effect for prepayment customers
Electricity and gas suppliers in Northern Ireland have cut the maximum debt repayment deduction for prepayment customers from 40 per cent to 20 per cent, under a voluntary charter running to 31 March 2023.
Directions No. 1 issued for Northern Ireland energy suppliers
The Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero issued Directions No. 1 under the Energy Prices Act 2022, requiring Northern Ireland domestic suppliers to seek agreement before changing tariffs on any day other than the first of a quarter.
Octopus Energy takes on 1.5 million customers from Bulb
Octopus Energy took on an additional 1.5 million customers from Bulb in December 2022, a transfer that reshaped the supplier market and lifted its customer base.
OVO announces £50m Customer Support Package
OVO has announced a £50m Customer Support Package for winter 2022, including payment holidays on prepayment debt, a 200% rise in emergency top-up credit and a partnership with the Trussell Trust.
OVO Energy introduces temporary ban on forced prepayment meter installations over Christmas
OVO Energy has paused forced prepayment meter installations over Christmas and suspended debt recovery until at least March 2023, but says forced installations will resume in the new year.
OVO Energy suspends debt recovery until at least March 2023
OVO Energy has suspended debt recovery until at least March 2023, so prepayment top-ups pay only for usage and standing charges rather than existing arrears.
Research reveals PPM customers living in cold damp homes and self-disconnecting
Research for the Warm This Winter campaign finds 64% of prepayment meter customers are vulnerable, 13% have self-disconnected and 31% live in cold damp homes.
- November 2022
Rates for January to March 2023 added
The government added Energy Price Guarantee regional unit rates for January to March 2023 to its published tables, setting the maximum amounts suppliers could charge under the scheme.
Ofgem publishes Default Tariff Cap level for 1 January 2023 to 31 March 2023
Ofgem has published the Default Tariff Cap level for 1 January to 31 March 2023, raising the dual fuel direct debit cap by 21 per cent to £4,279.