Ofgem published a call for input in November 2025 seeking views on a set of proposed Consumer Outcomes for the energy industry1. The regulator set out the proposal in the foreword to its Energy Consumer Satisfaction Survey findings report for July to August 2025, published in December 20251.
The proposed outcomes are described as a clear set of expectations focused on the outcomes consumers should experience in the energy industry, intended to ensure Ofgem's rules embrace competition, enable innovation and support growth while protecting consumers1. Ofgem said the survey data would feed into its ongoing consumer outcomes work1.
"In November 2025, Ofgem published a call for input seeking views on a set of proposed 'Consumer Outcomes'. These are intended to represent a clear set of expectations focused on the outcomes we want consumers to experience in the energy industry and will ensure that Ofgem's rules embrace competition, enable innovation, and support growth while protecting consumers, now and in the future."
The same report gives the latest readings on how households rate their suppliers. Overall satisfaction reached 82% in July/August 2025, up from 81% in January 2025 and the highest level since tracking began in 20181. Customer service satisfaction rose to 76% from 74%1. Satisfaction with the ease of understanding a bill reached 85% (from 82%), accuracy of billing 82% (from 80%) and timing of bill delivery 90% (from 87%)1.
| Measure | January 2025 | July/August 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Overall satisfaction | 81% | 82% |
| Customer service satisfaction | 74% | 76% |
| Ease of understanding bill | 82% | 85% |
| Bill accuracy | 80% | 82% |
| Ease of contacting supplier | not given | 77% |
| Self-reported smart meter ownership | 68% | 71% |
Source: Energy Consumer Satisfaction Survey, wave 211
Ease of contacting a supplier reached its highest recorded level, at 77% of customers who got in contact or tried to1. Live chat use rose to 16% from 12% in January 20251. Self-reported smart meter ownership rose to 71% from 68%1. Among smart meter owners, satisfaction reached 86%, against 83% in January, while 36% of customers reported at least one smart meter issue in the past six months1. The report notes the question on smart meter issues previously covered three months and was changed to six months for this wave1.
On affordability, the share of customers in contact with their supplier about help paying bills after falling behind or running out of credit rose to 78% from 69% in January 2025, its highest level to date1. Supplier-initiated contact on this rose to 20% from 14%1. The share owing money or running out of credit was unchanged at 10%, and Ofgem's separate debt and arrears data shows average debt rising over time1. Of those who had fallen behind, the share very satisfied with the bill support received rose from 34% to 43%1.
Why it matters for households
The Consumer Outcomes proposal concerns the standards suppliers are expected to meet, which is the framework behind the service a household receives: how quickly a supplier answers, how clearly it bills, and how it handles a complaint or a request for help with arrears. The survey shows complaint handling improving for the first time, with more customers satisfied than dissatisfied on handling and process length, though 3% of all respondents reported making a complaint and 48% of those who contacted a supplier reported at least one difficulty, most often delays between responses (18%) and long wait times (15%)1.
For a home's energy independence, the figures on smart meters and contact channels are the practical ones. Smart meter ownership at 71% and satisfaction among owners at 86% sit alongside 36% of customers reporting at least one issue in six months1. The report notes non-smart meter households record no similar rise in satisfaction and remain less satisfied overall1. The shift to online contact, with live chat at a record 16%, changes how quickly a household can raise a billing or meter problem1.
Financial circumstances remain the strongest predictor of satisfaction, with a 17 percentage point gap between customers classified as doing well (88%) and those highly financially vulnerable (71%)1. The share classified as doing well rose to 53% from 46%, while 15% were financially vulnerable and 12% highly financially vulnerable1.
What happens next
The call for input on the proposed Consumer Outcomes was published in November 2025; the report does not state a closing date or a timetable for decisions1. The next wave of the Energy Consumer Satisfaction Survey is due to take place in early 20261.