Rules and Regulation News: page 13
- August 2025
Ofgem opens policy consultation package on future energy prices
Ofgem has opened three policy consultations on nuclear cost recovery, acquisition-only tariffs and the cap's consumption benchmark, alongside confirming a 2% price cap rise from October.
Welsh Government opens consultation on Part L 2025 review
The Welsh Government opened a consultation on 26 August 2025 on changes to Building Regulations Part L, Part F and Part O and their Approved Document guidance, covering energy efficiency in new and existing buildings.
Ofgem publishes regulatory expectations on suppliers' use of Additional Support Credit
Ofgem has written to suppliers setting out how it expects Additional Support Credit to be assessed, recorded and refused, and signalled a Debt Strategy update for the Autumn.
Consultation on raising product standards for household tumble dryers closes
The government consultation on raising product standards for household tumble dryers closed at 11:59pm on 14 August 2025, with 12 responses received and new rules confirmed.
Government announces planned review of the ZEV mandate
The government has announced a planned review of the Zero Emission Vehicle mandate and published a consultation, drawing a response from the charging industry body ChargeUK.
Consultation on smart metering policy framework post 2025 opens
The government has opened a consultation on new licence conditions that would require energy suppliers to complete the domestic smart meter rollout by the end of 2030 and fix faulty meters within 90 days.
Government guide to smart meter rights and expectations published
The government has published guidance setting out the minimum service standards domestic energy suppliers are expected to meet across the ten stages of the smart meter journey, from booking an installation to switching supplier.
Statutory consultation on smart meter GSOPs published
Ofgem published a statutory consultation on 8 August 2025 setting out draft rules for smart meter guaranteed standards, with automatic compensation for consumers when suppliers miss them.
Guidance updated to require PAS 2030:2023 instead of PAS 2030:2019
Ofgem's ECO4 guidance moved to version 2.0 on 7 August 2025, replacing references to PAS 2030:2019 with PAS 2030:2023 across its chapters and application forms.
Amendments by the Electricity and Gas (Energy Company Obligation) (Amendment) Order 2025 took effect
Amendments to the Energy Company Obligation Order 2023 took effect on 1 August 2025, changing supplier targets and adding smart meter advice duties to home insulation and heating control work.
Consumer Scotland responds to Scottish Government PRS MEES consultation
Consumer Scotland has told the Scottish Government it broadly supports a minimum energy efficiency standard for privately rented homes, with compliance from 2028 and a backstop of 2033.
DESNZ consultation on the future of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme closed
A government consultation on the future of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme has closed, with industry bodies using it to press the case for hybrid heating systems to qualify for grants.
DESNZ consulted on extending the ECO4 end date
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero consulted in August 2025 on extending the ECO4 end date, and the policy decision extends the scheme by nine months to 31 December 2026.
HEETSA and PRS MEES consultations closed
Two Scottish Government consultations, one on a proposed Heat and Energy Efficiency Technical Suitability Assessment and one on a private rented sector minimum energy efficiency standard, closed at the end of August 2025.
Home Energy Model proposed to replace SAP
The Welsh Government has published a consultation version of Approved Document L Volume 1 for dwellings, proposing the Home Energy Model replace SAP in the calculation methodology.
October to December 2025 price cap set at £1,755
Ofgem has set the October to December 2025 Default Tariff Cap at £1,755 a year for a typical dual fuel household, a 2% rise from July, with forecasts pointing to a slight fall in January.
Ofgem consulted on removing the backwardation deadband
Ofgem has decided to remove the £9 deadband from the backwardation allowance in the energy price cap, recovering the costs over a rolling 12-month period from July 2026.
Ofgem estimates cash and cheque customers pay £136 a year more on average
Ofgem reports estimate that households paying for energy by cash or cheque pay £136 a year more on average than other customers, according to guidance published in September 2025.
OPSS issues stop warning for 17,000 heat pump tumble dryer owners
The Office for Product Safety and Standards has ordered Haier to tell more than 17,000 owners of modified heat pump tumble dryers to stop using them immediately because a fire risk remains.
Welsh Government consultation version issued
The Welsh Government has published a consultation version of Approved Document L Volume 1 for dwellings, proposing the Home Energy Model in place of SAP and a 2026 start date.
- July 2025
Amendment legislation became law and rural area classifications changed
The Electricity and Gas (Energy Company Obligation) (Amendment) Order 2025 became law on 29 July 2025, changing how rural areas are classified for ECO4 and altering installation standards and smart meter advice duties.
Ofgem publishes ECO4 Measures table version 4.0
Ofgem has published version 4.0 of the ECO4 Measures table, the document listing which energy efficiency measures can be installed under the fourth Energy Company Obligation scheme.
Clean Flexibility Roadmap published
Ofgem has published a draft impact assessment of a digital Consumer Consent solution, naming RECCo as delivery body and setting a consultation close of 13 November 2025.
Government publishes Clean Flexibility Roadmap
The government, Ofgem and NESO have published the Clean Flexibility Roadmap, setting out plans for a more flexible electricity system alongside new consultations on consumer engagement and asset visibility.
Consultation on raising product standards for household tumble dryers opens
The government has opened a consultation on stricter ecodesign and energy labelling rules for household tumble dryers sold in Great Britain, running until 14 August 2025.
Consumer Scotland publishes response to Ofgem fair pricing consultation
Consumer Scotland has backed Ofgem's proposed fair pricing framework for heat networks but called for stronger monitoring of fuel costs, prescriptive billing rules and readiness to enforce from January 2026.
Government response to decarbonising home heating report published
Treasury minutes setting out the Government response to the Public Accounts Committee's Thirty-seventh report on decarbonising home heating were published on 11 July 2025.
Scottish Government accepts Regulatory Review Group recommendations on EPC reform
The Scottish Government has accepted all five recommendations from its Regulatory Review Group on Energy Performance Certificate reform, covering Home Report alignment, mortgage lending, local authority enforcement, inspections and public engagement.
UK Government decides to retain single national GB-wide wholesale market and not implement zonal pricing
The UK Government has decided to keep a single national wholesale electricity market across Great Britain and will not introduce zonal pricing, setting out a package of reform instead.
Ofgem writes to suppliers exploring options for setting the UIG allowance
Ofgem has written to gas suppliers asking how the unidentified gas allowance in the price cap should be set, and has proposed raising it from 1.88% to 2.90%.