Energy Bills and the Price Cap News: page 19
- July 2022
Central Switching Service introduced
The Central Switching Service began operating in July 2022, cutting the time a household needs to change energy supplier to five working days, according to the body that runs the national smart meter network.
Flexi variable costs updated for the quarter from 1 July 2022
ScottishPower has published the variable cost components of its Flexi tariff for the quarter beginning 1 July 2022, with Balancing Services Use of System falling and several regional distribution standing charges changing.
Ofgem announces urgent review of direct debit increases
Ofgem has announced an urgent review into energy direct debits rising faster than the price cap, finding flawed processes and weaknesses in how suppliers set customer payments.
- June 2022
Citizens Advice responds to BEIS consultation on changes to the Energy Bills Support Scheme
Citizens Advice has backed the government's decision to raise the Energy Bills Support Scheme payment to £400 and make it a grant, while warning that prepayment meter customers and those in arrears could miss out.
Citizens Advice launches Energy Price Support Review with SMF and Public First
Citizens Advice has announced an Energy Price Support Review with the Social Market Foundation and Public First, to report in Spring 2023 on long-term help for households struggling most with energy bills.
Citizens Advice warns 585,000 private renters risk missing energy bill support
Citizens Advice says 585,000 private renters whose landlords control their energy bills may be unable to claim the £150 Warm Home Discount and the £400 grant due in October.
Average bill estimates published for UK households
Energy Helpline has published estimated annual and monthly gas and electricity bills for UK homes using June 2022 prices, putting a three-bed home at £1,793.21 a year and a one to two bedroom home at £1,178.16.
- May 2022
EBSS doubled to £400 and made non-repayable
The Chancellor doubled the Energy Bills Support Scheme to £400 on 26 May 2022 and made it a non-repayable grant, replacing the original £200 discount that households would have repaid.
Government announced £400 grant for domestic electricity customers
The government confirmed on 26 May 2022 that domestic electricity customers would receive £400 of support with their energy bills, paid as a grant rather than a repayable reduction.
Government announces cost of living package funded partly by windfall tax
The Chancellor announced a £15bn package of support for households on 26 May 2022, including a £400 energy grant, a £650 payment for means tested benefit claimants and a 25% levy on oil and gas profits.
Government announces energy bills support measures in House of Commons
The End Fuel Poverty Coalition has written to the Chancellor listing ten unanswered questions about the energy bills support announced in the House of Commons on 26 May 2022, warning it will not fix fuel poverty.
Ofgem chief tells MPs October price cap likely to rise to about £2,800
Ofgem's chief executive told MPs the household energy price cap is likely to rise to about £2,800 in October, an increase of roughly £800 on the level then in force.
Ofgem opens consultation on possible wholesale cost adjustment to the default tariff cap
Ofgem has opened a consultation on whether suppliers face extra efficient wholesale costs beyond the default tariff cap, covering cap periods eight and nine, with responses due by 14 June 2022.
NEA responds to BEIS consultation on Energy Bills Support scheme
National Energy Action has told BEIS that its Energy Bills Support scheme has significant deficiencies, warning that the poorest households may receive less or no benefit while paying for it.
Chancellor announces enhanced package of customer support
Energy UK said international wholesale gas prices compounded by the Russian invasion of Ukraine led the Chancellor to announce an enhanced package of customer support, but called it a missed opportunity on energy efficiency.
Government announced intention to legislate to extend price cap beyond 2023
The government said in May 2022 that it intended to legislate to allow the default tariff price cap to continue beyond 2023, as the National Audit Office counted 29 supplier failures since July 2021.
Ofgem announces plans for quarterly price cap review
Ofgem has announced plans to move the price cap to a quarterly review, so that changes in wholesale gas and electricity costs, including falls, reach customer bills sooner.
- April 2022
Winter Fuel Support Scheme payment widened and planned for later in 2022
National Energy Action says the Welsh Government will make a further Winter Fuel Support Scheme payment later in 2022, widened to reach more low-income households including pensioners eligible for Pension Credit.
BEIS to publish proposals on rebalancing energy bill costs in 2022
The government's Energy Security Strategy commits to rebalancing costs on energy bills away from electricity, with BEIS to publish proposals in 2022, alongside VAT-free home energy saving measures for five years.
Chancellor announces £9.1 billion energy bills support package
The Chancellor has announced a £9.1 billion package of support to help more than 28 million households with rising energy bills, alongside a £200 reduction in domestic electricity bills from October 2022.
Direct debit increases far above price cap rises reported after April 2022 review
After the April 2022 price cap rise, some households saw direct debit increases far above the cap, prompting an Ofgem review that found flawed supplier processes.
Domestic energy cap rise worsens household energy bills
The Welsh Government extended its Fuel Support Scheme to more than 400,000 low-income households with £90m, citing higher bills worsened by the April domestic energy cap rise.
Electricity standing charges jumped by more than 80% in April 2022
Electricity standing charges under the price cap rose by more than 80% in April 2022, driven mainly by supplier of last resort costs added to network cost allowances.
GGL allowance applies from cap period eight starting 1 April 2022
Ofgem has decided to add a Green Gas Levy allowance to the default tariff cap from cap period eight, which began on 1 April 2022, at about £2.69 per gas meter.
UK Government announces energy support package for Great Britain households
The UK Government announced a package of support for almost all households in Great Britain in April 2022, including the £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme and an Energy Price Guarantee capping a typical bill at £2,500.
Government renames Energy Bills Discount as the Energy Bills Support Scheme
The Government published an explainer on 1 April 2022 renaming the Energy Bills Discount as the Energy Bills Support Scheme, the £400 grant later paid to households over winter 2022-23.
Ofgem price cap increase to coincide with predicted rise in child fuel poverty to over 2.5m households
End Fuel Poverty Coalition calculations predict more than 2.5 million households with children will be in fuel poverty from 1 April 2022, when the next Ofgem price cap increase takes effect.
Prepayment meter average bills set to rise to £2,017
Average prepayment meter bills under the price cap were set to rise from £1,309 to £2,017 from 1 April 2022, as Ofgem raised the cap by 54 per cent.
- March 2022
British Gas adds £2 million to Support Fund, taking it to £6 million
British Gas Energy has added £2 million to its Support Fund, taking it to £6 million, to help customers struggling to pay energy bills as living costs and inflation rise.
Supplier websites and apps fail under meter reading demand
British Gas, EDF, Eon and Octopus reported website and app problems on 31 March 2022 as households rushed to submit meter readings before the energy price cap rose the next day.