Energy Bills and the Price Cap News: page 18
- September 2022
Citizens Advice published Out of the cold calling for a winter moratorium on forced prepayment meter installation
Citizens Advice has called for a winter moratorium on the forced installation of prepayment meters, warning that millions of households are disconnecting because they cannot afford to top up.
Green levies to be moved from bills to general taxation
Liz Truss confirmed that green levies which partly pay for insulating poorer homes will move off household energy bills and onto general taxation, a change backed by NGOs and the energy industry.
Warm This Winter petition passes 110,000 signatures shortly after launch
The Warm This Winter petition passed 110,000 signatures within days of launching, as the End Fuel Poverty Coalition estimated 12 million UK households would face fuel poverty this winter.
- August 2022
JRF publishes energy price analysis of August 2022 price cap and Cornwall Insight forecasts
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has published a briefing on the August 2022 Ofgem price cap and new Cornwall Insight forecasts, warning that low-income households face severe financial harm.
Ofgem publishes default tariff cap levels for cap period 9a
Ofgem has set the default tariff cap for 1 October to 31 December 2022 at £3,549 a year for a typical dual fuel direct debit household, an increase of 80 per cent.
Period 9a cap level announced with separated additional risk allowance approach
Ofgem has set out how it split the wholesale additional risk allowance into two parts for the October to December 2022 price cap, to prevent suppliers recovering more than the efficient cost of hedging.
Warm This Winter campaign launches in response to energy bills crisis
The Warm This Winter campaign launched on 26 August 2022, demanding emergency financial support, funded home insulation and a faster shift from gas to renewables as energy bills rose.
Resolution Foundation publishes report on policy options for soaring energy prices
The Resolution Foundation has published a report setting out policy options for soaring energy prices, proposing either a social tariff for poorer households or universal price cuts recouped through income tax.
Ofgem decides against moving supplier failure costs out of standing charges
Ofgem has decided not to move the costs of supplier failures out of electricity standing charges and onto unit prices, saying high energy users including disabled and elderly consumers would be unfairly disadvantaged.
Which? responds to Ofgem decision to continue recovering supplier failure costs via standing charge
Which? has responded to Ofgem's decision to keep recovering the costs of supplier failures through the standing charge, calling for an urgent review of how bills can be made fairer.
Poorly insulated homes to pay £1,000 more on gas bills this winter
ECIU analysis published on 10 August 2022 finds homes rated EPC band F face a gas bill £968 higher than band C homes this winter, as the price cap is forecast to reach £3,958.
Which? responds to £5,000 energy bill estimates with call for more support
Which? has called on the government to increase financial support for households after estimates suggested energy bills could reach £5,000, saying existing help will not cover predicted rises.
Citizens Advice says latest price cap forecasts show no time to waste on further support
Citizens Advice has responded to the latest Cornwall Insight price cap forecast by calling on the government to raise benefits in line with the cost of living, saying there is no time to waste.
Cornwall Insight publishes new price cap forecasts
Cornwall Insight's 9 August 2022 forecasts put the October 2022 price cap at £3,582, rising to £4,266 in January 2023 and peaking at £4,426 in April 2023.
JRF estimates cost of living increase of £2,550 between 2021/22 and 2022/23
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation estimates household costs will rise by £2,550 between 2021/22 and 2022/23, with energy accounting for £1,550 of that increase.
Ofgem moves default tariff cap to quarterly updates
Ofgem confirmed in August 2022 that the default tariff cap would be updated every three months instead of every six, changing how often household energy prices are reviewed.
Ofgem decides to use a lower quartile benchmark for unexpected SVT demand costs in the default tariff cap
Ofgem has decided to add £41 to the default tariff cap for typical dual fuel non-prepayment customers from 1 October 2022, using a lower quartile benchmark for unexpected standard variable tariff demand costs.
- July 2022
Government confirms delivery details of £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme
BEIS has confirmed that the £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme will be paid in six monthly instalments from October 2022, setting out how each payment method will receive the discount.
Which? responds to concerns that support on energy bills is outdated
Which? has called on Ofgem to penalise underperforming energy suppliers and to work with government and suppliers on targeted bill support, saying customers are struggling to understand bills and pricing.
NEA projects 8.2 million UK households could be in fuel poverty from October
National Energy Action has projected that 8.2 million UK households, one in three, could be in fuel poverty from October if the price cap takes average annual bills to £3,250.
NEA publishes response to Ofgem retail financial resilience and Direct Debit consultation
The National Energy Action charity has told Ofgem that proposed financial resilience rules for suppliers should only go ahead if they do not push up the price cap, while backing stronger Direct Debit rules.
Ember analysis attributes 80% of UK wholesale electricity price rise to fossil gas
Ember analysis finds fossil gas caused 80 per cent of the rise in UK wholesale electricity prices between July 2021 and June 2022, with gas adding £93/MWh to a £120/MWh increase.
Welsh Government extends Fuel Support Scheme to more than 400,000 households with £90m investment
The Welsh Government is investing £90m in its Fuel Support Scheme, extending a £200 payment to more than 400,000 low-income households in Wales from autumn 2022.
JRF publishes energy price analysis of July 2022 price cap
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has published a briefing on the July 2022 Ofgem price cap and new Cornwall Insight forecasts, setting out what low and middle income families are expected to spend on gas and electricity.
Ofgem CEO tells MPs October cap rise will exceed previous prediction
Ofgem's chief executive told MPs the October price cap will rise by more than the £800 previously predicted, as forecasters put winter bills near £3,300.
Cornwall Insight raises price cap forecast to average £3,304
Cornwall Insight raised its forecast for the October 2022 and January 2023 price caps to £3,245 and £3,634, an average of £3,304, as gas costs drive the increase.
Ofgem launches review of arrangements for recovering the costs of supplier failure
Ofgem has closed its review of how the costs of supplier failure are recovered, deciding to keep the existing methodology rather than move recovery onto unit rates.
Energy Bill [HL] 2022-23 introduced in the House of Lords
The Energy Bill was introduced in the House of Lords on 6 July 2022, with measures on heat networks, smart appliances, building energy performance and business energy audits.
NEA publishes report calling for a new social tariff in the energy market
National Energy Action has published a report arguing that the government must create a social tariff, a discounted energy deal for low income households, to cut bills during the cost of living crisis.
BEIS publishes Energy Bill summary impact assessment
BEIS has published a July 2022 summary impact assessment for the Energy Bill, setting out net present values, business costs and consumer bill impacts across 30 measures.