Energy Bills and the Price Cap news, page 17
- November 2022
Pre-payment Meters (Self-disconnection) Bill receives First Reading
Anne McLaughlin's Ten Minute Rule Bill on prepayment meter self-disconnection received its First Reading on 19 October 2022, seeking a grace period before disconnection and debt management support.
Energy price guarantee to rise to £3,000 in spring and be extended 12 months
The Energy Price Guarantee will rise to £3,000 in the spring and be extended for another 12 months, a change the CIPHE says leaves domestic consumers facing a 164% rise in two years.
Which? responds to low redemption of Energy Bill Support Scheme vouchers among prepayment customers
Which? has called on energy firms and the government to work with top-up outlets to find out why a third of traditional prepayment customers have not redeemed Energy Bill Support Scheme vouchers.
Chancellor confirmed EPG support until end of March 2024
Ofgem has set the energy price cap for April to June 2023 at £3,280, below the £3,000 Energy Price Guarantee level confirmed by the Chancellor on 17 November 2022 and running to March 2024.
EPG NI scheme confirmed already in force
Lord Callanan told the Lords Grand Committee on 16 November 2022 that the energy price guarantee Northern Ireland scheme is already in force, as regulations defining domestic supply were considered.
Fuel Bank Foundation issues advice on unredeemed EBSS vouchers for prepayment customers
The Fuel Bank Foundation has urged prepayment meter customers to check for and redeem their Energy Bill Support Scheme vouchers after figures showed low redemption rates in October.
Default smart meter reading frequency rule tied to 3 November 2022 installation date
Smart meters installed before 3 November 2022 default to daily readings, while those installed since, or affected by a supplier switch or contract change, default to half-hourly readings.
Energy Bills Support Scheme to begin in Northern Ireland
Households in Northern Ireland will start receiving the £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme payment from November, the Prime Minister said, months after the equivalent support began in Great Britain.
Energy Price Guarantee began lowering gas and electricity prices
The Consumer Council's Home Energy Index records that the Government Energy Price Guarantee artificially lowered gas and electricity prices in Northern Ireland from 1 November 2022 until 30 June 2023.
Energy Price Guarantee benefits begin to be passed through in Northern Ireland
Households in Northern Ireland began receiving Energy Price Guarantee support through their suppliers from 1 November 2022, with the benefit set to cover increased costs back to 1 October.
Ofgem writes to suppliers on remote switching of smart meters to prepayment mode
Ofgem has written to energy suppliers telling them to review their obligations and processes on switching smart meters to prepayment mode remotely, after a review found failings across the market.
Power NI changes bill layout for price changes
Power NI has changed how its bills show charges when a price change falls inside a billing period, splitting units and standing charges into before and after lines.
- October 2022
Energy Price Guarantee scheme documents first published
The government published the technical scheme documents for the Energy Price Guarantee on 31 October 2022, setting out the agreements behind support for household gas and electricity bills across the UK.
Which? warns hundreds of thousands of prepayment meter customers could miss government support
Which? has warned that hundreds of thousands of prepayment meter customers may miss government energy support, and called on suppliers to make sure the discount reaches them.
Ofgem price cap calculations move to quarterly
Energy UK has confirmed that Ofgem now recalculates the price cap every three months rather than every six, so sustained falls in gas prices reach household bills sooner.
Energy crisis narrows electricity to gas price ratio, strengthening heat pump running cost case
Nesta reports the electricity to gas price ratio has fallen from over 5 in 2021 to around 3.8, and to around 3.3 under the Energy Price Guarantee, improving heat pump running cost comparisons.
Energy Prices Act 2022 amendments to the tariff cap Act in force
Amendments made by the Energy Prices Act 2022 to the Domestic Gas and Electricity (Tariff Cap) Act 2018 came into force on 25 October 2022, adding a public spending consideration, a post-review statement duty and a 25 working day rule.
Energy Prices Act 2022 receives Royal Assent
The Energy Prices Act 2022 became law on 25 October 2022, giving ministers powers to run price reduction schemes for household electricity and gas in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Energy Costs (Pre-payment Meters and Social Tariffs) Bill receives First Reading
Kenny MacAskill's Ten Minute Rule Bill on prepayment meters and social tariffs had its First Reading on 19 October 2022, seeking to end higher standing charges for prepayment customers.
Energy Prices Bill brought from the House of Commons with Explanatory Notes published
BEIS published Explanatory Notes for the Energy Prices Bill on 18 October 2022, setting out how the Energy Price Guarantee, the Energy Bills Support Scheme and relief for businesses will work.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announces EPG duration reduction
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt cut the Energy Price Guarantee's duration from two years to six months on 17 October 2022, meaning the scheme that capped typical household bills at £2,500 would end in April 2023.
Chancellor statement sets end date for energy support schemes
The Chancellor's 17 October statement confirmed the Energy Price Guarantee, Energy Bills Support Scheme and Energy Bill Relief Scheme end in their current form on 31 March 2023, pending a review.
Power NI announces residential price decrease from 1 November 2022 under Energy Price Guarantee
Power NI has announced a 10 per cent cut to residential electricity bills from 1 November 2022, as the Energy Price Guarantee discount offsets an underlying tariff increase agreed with the Utility Regulator.
Energy Prices Bill introduced in Parliament
The Energy Prices Bill was introduced in Parliament on 12 October 2022 to put the Energy Price Guarantee, Energy Bill Relief Scheme and related winter payments on a legal footing.
Energy Price Guarantee regional rates page first published
The government first published its Energy Price Guarantee regional rates page on 7 October 2022, setting out the maximum unit rates suppliers could charge under the scheme in England, Scotland and Wales.
ECIU analysis finds poorly insulated band F homes cost £1,000 more to heat this year than band C homes
Analysis by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit finds that homes rated EPC band F will cost around £1,750 more in total energy costs this year than band C homes, split between household bills and Government support.
Scam texts impersonate the Energy Bills Support Scheme as the £400 grant rolls out
Which? has reported scam texts that impersonate the Energy Bills Support Scheme, telling recipients they are eligible for a discounted bill and linking to a fake application site as the £400 grant is paid out.
£200 energy bill reduction to begin in October 2022
A £200 reduction in energy bills for most households in Great Britain was set to begin in October 2022 under the Energy Bills Support Scheme, alongside wider measures to cut reliance on imported gas.
Autumn Statement 2022 announces EPG increase
The Autumn Statement 2022 raised the Energy Price Guarantee to £3,000 for typical annual household consumption from April 2023 and extended it to the end of March 2024.
Cap period 9a cap levels take effect
Ofgem's cap period 9a levels took effect on 1 October 2022, setting the maximum a typical dual fuel direct debit household pays at £3,549 a year until 31 December 2022.