The proportion of households classified as "doing well" on financial vulnerability fell from 53% to 44% between July and August 2025 and January 2026, the first fall since 2023, according to the Energy Consumer Satisfaction Survey published by Ofgem and Citizens Advice1. The financially vulnerable share rose from 15% to 19% and the highly vulnerable share from 12% to 18%, returning both to the levels recorded in January 20251.
The survey is carried out by BMG Research for Ofgem and Citizens Advice, with fieldwork for this wave run from 5 January to 3 February 2026 across approximately 3,500 to 4,000 domestic energy consumers in Great Britain1. This is the sixth wave conducted by BMG1.
| Financial vulnerability group | Jul/Aug 2025 | Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Doing well | 53% | 44% |
| Getting by | 13% | 13% |
| Vulnerable | 15% | 19% |
| Highly vulnerable | 12% | 18% |
| Uncategorised | 7% | 6% |
Source: Energy Consumer Satisfaction Survey, January 20261
Individual measures behind the classification moved in the same direction. The share who said they would be able to save money in the next 12 months fell from 55% to 47%, and the share who could afford an unexpected but necessary expense of £900 fell from 62% to 51%1. The £900 figure was updated from £850 in line with CPI estimates since the question was first introduced1. The share reporting they had borrowed more money or used more credit in the past month rose from 23% to 28% compared with a year earlier1.
Customers falling behind or running out of credit for affordability reasons increased for the first time, reaching 12% of customers across the payment types1. Overall supplier satisfaction stabilised for the first time since the energy crisis, with dissatisfaction levels also stable, and no significant differences between January 2026 and July/August 20251. Customer service satisfaction for customers who had been in contact with their supplier fell for the first time, while satisfaction for those not in contact continued to increase1.
"The proportion of those classified as "doing well" in our financial vulnerability classification has dropped for the first time since 2023, from 53% to 44%."
The report states that consumers' financial circumstances was the top driver of satisfaction in the demographics and energy characteristics model, and that while overall supplier satisfaction did not significantly decrease, the stalling of successive increases could point to more reporting tougher financial circumstances1. Satisfaction reported by each vulnerability group remained in line with July/August 2025: 88% for those doing well, 82% for those getting by, 73% for the vulnerable and 70% for the highly vulnerable1.
Why it matters for households
The classification measures whether a household can absorb a shock without falling behind. A fall in the doing well share and a rise in both vulnerable groups means more homes have less room to absorb a price rise, a cold snap or a broken appliance without borrowing or missing a payment. The £900 unexpected expense question is the clearest single indicator in the report: the share able to meet it fell by 11 percentage points in six months1. For a household's energy independence, the practical effect is that more homes are likely to be weighing payment method, tariff structure and usage against cash flow rather than against unit price alone. The rules that govern supplier behaviour towards customers in payment difficulty sit within the regulation and policy framework.
What happens next
This document is a topline report; the full findings are due to be published in Spring 20261.