Ofgem is consulting on the draft Impact Assessment for a digital Consumer Consent solution, the regulator's Energy System Digitalisation team said. The consultation closes on 13 November 20251. The document states that the quantified benefits of implementing the Consent solution are potentially greater than the costs1.
The proposal follows a sequence of decisions. Ofgem published a Call For Input in November 2023 setting out three options on solution design1. In August 2024 it consulted on its preferred policy option, to appoint RECCo as the delivery body to design and deliver a digital Consumer Consent platform1. In April 2025 it confirmed its minded-to position that RECCo would be the delivery body for this work1. The draft assessment records that the Clean Flexibility Roadmap, as published on 23 July 2025, contains a named action for RECCo delivery of the Consumer Consent solution1.
"In April 2025, we confirmed our minded-to position, that RECCo would be the delivery body for this work."
The problem set out in the document is that the energy sector lacks a single, standardised process for obtaining and managing consumer consent to share energy data. Ofgem says this fragmentation leads to inconsistent practices, consumer confusion and "consent fatigue", and limits access to datasets such as smart meter data1. The stated objective is to give consumers control over their data through tools to grant, manage and revoke consent1.
The document describes three options presented in the 2023 Call For Input:
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| One | A single technical solution, mandated by Ofgem and adopted across the energy sector |
| Two | A set of principles outlining a consistent way for trusted market participants to obtain consent |
| Three | Not set out in the quoted text |
Ofgem notes that Option One would not store data beyond consent records but introduces cyber risk as a centralised access point, and that unlike Open Banking the initiative lacks a clear and defined government mandate1. The document also records recent changes to the Balancing and Settlement Code in August 2025 that allow flexibility services to be provided before a customer is switched to half hourly settlements, and that the Data Use and Access Act 2025 makes some changes to data protection laws1.
Why it matters for households
The consent solution concerns who may access a household's energy data and on what terms. Ofgem's stated aim is that a household can grant, manage and revoke consent through a single digital route rather than separate arrangements with each supplier or service1. The document links a trusted, standardised consent mechanism to consumer-led flexibility, citing the government's Clean Power 2030 ambition of 10 to 12 GW of capacity through consumer-led flexibility1. It also states that the solution is a core component of future Smart Data Schemes1. The Renewable Energy Consumer Code is the code under which RECCo operates, and the delivery role named in the roadmap sits with that body. Further background on the framework is held in the regulation-policy section.
What happens next
The consultation on the draft Impact Assessment closes on 13 November 2025. Ofgem says it will consider all responses and evidence, and will publish the non-confidential responses alongside a decision on the Consent Solution and next steps on its website1. The document refers to release of the MMP on 31 March 20271. No further dates for the consent solution itself have been reported.
Sources1 cited
- Consumer Consent, ofgem.gov.uk