NEA’s Response to the CCW Call for Evidence for the Water Affordability Review. NEA considers all aspects of the current affordability support in water, highlighting areas of best practice, possible improvements and learnings from other sectors to help develop a suite of support measures which are sustainable, fair, and accessible for all.

Despite positive attempts to end fuel poverty in Wales, the statutory targets that were in place to eradicate the scourge of cold homes were missed and fuel poverty continues to be a devastating problem. Here, we respond to the Welsh Government’s new plans to tackle fuel poverty in Wales between now and 2035.

Overall, NEA is pleased that Ofgem is seeking to extend protections for domestic customers who may have prepayment meters installed under warrant (Electricity and Gas Supply Standard Licence Condition 28B). We fully support this approach and it will be necessary until at least mid-2025 when the smart meter rollout should finally largely complete.

A joint report from NEA and Waterwise

Following on from the June 2020 NEA policy paper “The Gathering Storm: Utility Debt and Covid-19”, this paper provides an evidence synthesis of personal debt, both prior and post the Covid-19 outbreak, with a focus on the shift from consumer debt, such as loans and credit cards, to household debts, such as arrears with utility providers, offering a comparison of known debt levels in energy, water and local government.

NEA recognises that many low-income households experience affordability issues with their essential household bills, rarely struggling with one bill in isolation, and as a result is delivering a programme of work which seeks to support ‘People Living in Water Poverty and Fuel Poverty’.

NEA has extensively engaged with Ofgem the DNOs to help shape this price control, through stakeholder meetings, workshops, and through working with Ofgem in the RIIO 2 working groups. NEA is so far pleased with Ofgem’s approach in the ED2 price control, especially the increased focus on stakeholder engagement and vulnerability. We believe, however, that there are several areas that require closer, additional consideration.

This year’s UK Fuel Poverty Monitor (UKFPM) reviews the events that have resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic, and how they have impacted vulnerable energy consumers and the organisations that look to support them, cataloguing the response to this challenge from these organisations. It concludes with an investigation of the policies, strategies and other key actions that are urgently needed to address the impact of the pandemic this winter and beyond.

NEA response to Ofgem’s self-disconnection and self-rationing final proposals