It is imperative that prepayment meter (PPM) customers continue to receive protection. The CMA stated in its initial ruling of the energy market investigation that PPM customers have higher actual and perceived barriers to switching that arise from both lack of internet connectivity and the need to physically change meter to switch to a wider range of tariffs.

Driving consumer and societal outcomes through company performance should remain a key ambition of Ofwat so that it can continue to demonstrate the legitimacy of a privatised water sector even with the reduced risk of re-nationalisation following the recent general election. Developing a richer understanding of company performance is valuable, providing the commitment to do so leads to consistent and comparable metrics made visible to a wider audience, including customers.

Over the last year, NEA has worked alongside Citizens Advice on a number of issues in order to facilitate better outcomes for fuel poor and vulnerable households in the energy market.

Over the last year, NEA, alongside other consumer groups, worked with Ofgem to secure some key improvements in the treatment of domestic customers. In particular, we worked to ensure that low income and vulnerable customers had adequate protections in gas and electricity markets.

NEA has a long-standing interest in smart meters and their roll-out in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, particularly with regard to their impact on vulnerable consumers. NEA believes that smart metering has the potential to provide real benefits for vulnerable and low-income householders, but only if these individuals are effectively engaged and supported throughout their smart meter journey.

NEA Cymru welcomes the opportunity to respond to the committees inquiry in to fuel poverty and would like to thank the Committee for focusing on this important issue.

The proposals made in this consultation will undoubtedly have a material affect on the number of customers that self-disconnect and self-ration. They are broadly in line with a number of suggestions that NEA made within our response to the preceding “Prepayment Self-Disconnection and Self-Rationing: A Call for Evidence”.

NEA believes dramatically improving domestic energy efficiency levels remains the most enduring solution to addressing energy affordability, however, we also know other key actions are required in retail energy markets to safeguard vulnerable domestic customers, particularly those living on the lowest incomes.

Given the stated aim to target low income, fuel poor and vulnerable households; NEA believes it is paramount that beneficiaries of the scheme receive adequate consumer protections.