Gillian Cooper, Head of Energy Policy at Citizens Advice responds to a BEIS Select Committee report on the energy market
“Today’s report underlines what we already know: customers are picking up the tab for chaos in the energy market.
“Citizens Advice repeatedly sounded the alarm on Ofgem’s failures which contributed to this mess, and we’re glad to see they’ve beefed up their rules in response.
“With huge hikes to bills expected this autumn, the government needs to be ready to act again. It must also overhaul the process for managing supplier failures so families are better protected in the future.
“Ofgem in turn needs to hold energy companies to account so people aren’t being chased by debt collectors or pushed onto prepayment meters when they can’t keep up with bills.
“In the longer term, the best way the government can protect people from high energy prices is to invest in making homes more energy efficient.”