Rules and Regulation News: page 45
- October 2022
Consultation on the New Build Heat Standard closes
The Scottish Government's consultation on its New Build Heat Standard closed on 20 October 2022 with 112 responses, most of them from organisations rather than individuals.
Energy Costs (Pre-payment Meters and Social Tariffs) Bill receives First Reading
Kenny MacAskill's Ten Minute Rule Bill on prepayment meters and social tariffs had its First Reading on 19 October 2022, seeking to end higher standing charges for prepayment customers.
Energy Prices Bill brought from the House of Commons with Explanatory Notes published
BEIS published Explanatory Notes for the Energy Prices Bill on 18 October 2022, setting out how the Energy Price Guarantee, the Energy Bills Support Scheme and relief for businesses will work.
Energy Prices Bill explanatory notes printed by House of Lords
Explanatory notes to the Energy Prices Bill, brought from the Commons on 18 October 2022, set out the Energy Price Guarantee, the Energy Bills Support Scheme and payments for homes off the gas grid.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announces EPG duration reduction
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt cut the Energy Price Guarantee's duration from two years to six months on 17 October 2022, meaning the scheme that capped typical household bills at £2,500 would end in April 2023.
Chancellor statement sets end date for energy support schemes
The Chancellor's 17 October statement confirmed the Energy Price Guarantee, Energy Bills Support Scheme and Energy Bill Relief Scheme end in their current form on 31 March 2023, pending a review.
Commons passes Money and Ways and Means resolutions for the Bill
The House of Commons passed Money and Ways and Means resolutions on 17 October 2022, giving parliamentary approval for spending and revenue raising under the Energy Prices Bill.
CREDS publishes Green uplift report on fuel and transport poverty
CREDS and Green Alliance have published a report recommending sales mandates for heat pumps and zero emissions vehicles, EPC band C by 2028 and cheaper electricity to cut fuel and transport poverty.
Energy Prices Bill introduced in Parliament
The Energy Prices Bill was introduced in Parliament on 12 October 2022 to put the Energy Price Guarantee, Energy Bill Relief Scheme and related winter payments on a legal footing.
Citizens Advice published its response to the REMA consultation
Citizens Advice has told the government's Review of Electricity Market Arrangements that consumer interests must be built into reform from the start, warning that poor design could leave vulnerable households worse off.
ECO4 Delivery Guidance version 1.0 published
Ofgem published version 1.0 of the ECO4 Delivery Guidance and Measures Table on 11 and 14 October 2022, setting the eligibility, project and evidence rules for the scheme's first year.
MCS published consultation on solar PV product standards
MCS has opened a one-month consultation on proposed updates to its Solar PV and Bespoke Building Integrated PV product standards, with comments due by midday on 7 November 2022.
Ofgem opens consultation on wholesale additional risk allowance index approach
Ofgem has opened a consultation on how the wholesale additional risk allowance is calculated for the January to March 2023 cap period, with responses due by 24 October 2022.
Review of Electricity Market Arrangements consultation closes
The Government's consultation on electricity market arrangements, which included how the cost of electricity is set, closed on 10 October 2022, with the End Fuel Poverty Coalition calling for reform.
CfD portfolio to start reducing consumer bills from October
Contracts for difference are set to turn negative from October, meaning low-carbon generators pay money back when electricity prices are very high, reducing consumer energy costs.
Chancellor announces Treasury review into energy support
In October 2022 the Chancellor announced a Treasury-led review into energy support, as disability charity Scope reported a sharp rise in demand for its energy and cost of living services.
CO alarm requirement for landlords in England took effect
From 1 October 2022 landlords in England must provide a carbon monoxide alarm in any living accommodation room containing a fixed combustion appliance, excluding gas cookers.
Energy Price Guarantee begins for domestic consumers
The Energy Price Guarantee took effect on 1 October 2022, capping the unit cost of gas and electricity so that a typical UK household pays around £2,500 a year for two years.
GBP2,500 price freeze reported to take effect with fuel poverty still affecting millions
The End Fuel Poverty Coalition estimates 16.4 million people in 6.9 million UK households will remain in fuel poverty in winter 2022/23 even under a reported GBP2,500 price freeze.
UK government announces target to cut energy use from buildings by 15% by 2030
The UK government has set a target to cut energy use from buildings by 15 per cent by 2030 against 2021 levels, alongside its existing aim for homes to reach EPC C.
Government decides to go ahead with doubling the ECO scheme
The Government has decided to double the Energy Company Obligation, an industry-designed scheme, as analysis shows poorly insulated homes cost about £1,000 a year more to heat than band C homes.
Octopus Energy takes over Bulb customers
Bulb's customers were moved to Octopus Energy in October 2022 under Ofgem's Supplier of Last Resort process, ending the largest supplier failure of the energy crisis.
Ofgem publishes ECO4 delivery guidance
Ofgem has published version 1 of its ECO4 delivery guidance, setting out the minimum requirements, exemptions, scoring rules and scheme interactions that govern how energy suppliers deliver the obligation.
Policy costs removed from energy bills from October 2022
Social and Environmental Obligations were removed from household energy bills from October 2022, with the Chancellor funding the schemes through taxation instead of charging billpayers.
Price cap forecast raised to around £3,000 due to Ukraine conflict
Forecasts for the October 2022 energy price cap rose from £2,400 to around £3,000 after the conflict in Ukraine pushed up global gas prices, the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit said.
Public spending impact added to cap statutory factors
Ofgem has confirmed that since October 2022 it must consider the effect of the energy price cap on public spending when setting the cap level.
RPSA and PCA spray foam guidance withdrawn for review
Industry guidance on spray foam insulation published by the RPSA and PCA in November 2021 was withdrawn in October 2022 pending a full review, leaving surveyors and lenders without a shared framework.
- September 2022
Citizens Advice calls for winter moratorium on prepayment meter installations
Citizens Advice has called for a winter moratorium until April 2023 on moving customers to prepayment meters under warrant and on switching smart meters to prepay to recover debt.
Ofgem publishes good practice for supporting customers in payment difficulty
Ofgem has published examples of good practice for energy suppliers supporting customers in payment difficulty, saying it wants to raise standards across the consumer debt journey.
Energy Bills Support Scheme ministerial direction published
The government has published the ministerial direction that puts the Energy Bills Support Scheme on a legal footing, requiring domestic electricity suppliers to pay the £400 discount to eligible households.