National Energy Action (NEA) has been involved in policy work to maintain and reform the Default Tariff price cap for several years. This has included working with Ofgem to initially create the Safeguard Tariff cap for prepayment and other vulnerable customers. Subsequently, NEA helped to design the Default Tariff price cap to ensure it offers as much protection for low-income and vulnerable customers as possible.

Research conducted by Public First explored public attitudes on the impact of the price cap. More than half of surveyed households believe that the price cap is the only thing stopping energy suppliers from charging more, that it protects vulnerable and low-income households and that the price cap means that consumers are not charged unfair prices.

National Energy Action welcomes the opportunity to input into this process and calls on Ofgem to consider solutions it has the power to create, in addition to working with the UK Government to create enduring solutions to debt and affordability challenges.

Ofgem has opened a Call for Input on the subject, which will close on 13 May 2024. This briefing highlights National Energy Action’s emerging views on what Ofgem and government can do to tackle affordability and still-rising debt levels.

NEA NI response to the Northern Ireland Electricity Networks Ltd Transmission and Distribution 7th Price Control (RP7).

NEA NI response to the Consumer Council NI Draft 2024 – 2025 Forward Work Programme Consultation.

NEA NI response to the Utility Regulator’s Consumer Protection Programme 2024-29 Consultation.

NEA NI response to the Utility Regulator’s draft Corporate Strategy 2024-2029.

National Energy Action has consistently advocated for payment premiums to be eliminated in the energy market. Historically, our focus has been on the premium faced by prepayment users, which before the pandemic, was the larger differential.