Which? responded on 4 March 2023 to the news that some Shell Energy customers will have some of their Energy Bill Support Scheme payments delayed until the Spring1. The consumer body said it was concerning that this would happen while households across the country are struggling to make ends meet this winter, and urged the supplier to act quickly1.
Rocio Concha, Which? Director of Policy and Advocacy, said some people will need the money saved on their energy bill to pay for other essentials1.
"it is absolutely crucial that Shell acts quickly to ensure these customers receive this support as soon as possible"
Which? did not say in its statement how many Shell Energy customers are affected, how much of their support is delayed, or which payments are involved; those figures have not been reported1. The statement also does not set out Shell Energy's explanation for the delay1.
Which? said the delay came during a campaign it launched calling on essential businesses, including energy firms, to do more to support their customers through the cost of living crisis, naming supermarkets, telecoms and energy as three key sectors1.
Why it matters for households
The Energy Bill Support Scheme is the scheme under which households receive support with their energy bills, and the closed Energy Bill Support payments are the subject of the delay reported here. A delay to part of that support shifts money a household was expecting in one month into a later one. For a home already balancing a monthly budget, that means credit that would have reduced a winter bill arrives after the coldest months, when usage and bills are at their highest. The total support is unchanged in principle, but its timing is not, and timing is what determines whether a household has to cover a gap in the meantime.
For a home's energy independence in the practical sense, the scheme softens the cost of buying power from the grid during a period of high wholesale prices. A delayed payment does not reduce a home's exposure to those prices; it only postpones part of the offset. Households on prepayment meters, where credit is applied directly to the meter, are affected differently from those billed monthly, though Which? did not distinguish between them in its statement1. The wider context of bills and independence is set out in Energy Bills and Energy Independence, and the suppliers hub covers how supplier changes affect customers.
What happens next
Which? has called on Shell Energy to ensure affected customers receive the support as soon as possible1. No date has been given for when the delayed payments will be made, and no figure has been published for how many customers are affected1.