This is a session where we are really looking for your feedback on our recommendations – are these
the right sort of ideas, or have we missed something out? Could they be improved? How can they
be implemented – what are the practicalities and the obstacles?
We recognise that this is a particularly challenging time – the institutional landscape is about to
change significantly and the pressures on consumers through rising prices are likely to become
greater in the near future.
There are broadly four things that we think need to be done:
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Achieve a better understanding of vulnerability
Improve communication and information flow to consumers
Try and achieve best practice
Ensure that there are effective and accessible advocacy and advice services for consumers
A brief reminder of issues within each of them which are addressed to companies, regulators and
government.
Vulnerability
Policy needs to be developed on a better understanding of vulnerability. There are a wide range of
circumstances which may lead to vulnerability and the circumstances may often be inter-related.
And vulnerability is not a constant. There needs to be a better understanding of this at the
regulatory and governmental level and, especially, within the companies. This is why we
recommend that energy suppliers should adopt and implement the BSI standard on “Inclusive
service”.
Communication and information
There is an underlying challenge to energy suppliers to regain the trust of their consumers – the level
of distrust surprised us and this was not something that we actively sought out in the research.
We think that energy suppliers need to review the operation of their call centres, consulting with
voluntary organisations, to ensure that they are user friendly and do not provide barriers to
vulnerable consumers. Ofgem should monitor this work and publish the results.
There is a lot of work that needs to be done on information provision: this ranges from clear
information about energy pricing, available tariffs to the availability of help and advice. We think it
is important that energy suppliers become more proactive in helping vulnerable consumers and that
this requires, among other things, better training of front-line staff so that they can pick up when
consumers are in vulnerable circumstances .
We also think that either the regulators or the consumer advocacy bodies need to publish a range of
basic fact sheets on energy provision and distribute them widely.
Best practice
We think that Ofgem should incorporate the following Standard of Conduct into existing or new
licence conditions: `You must make it easy for customers to contact you and act promptly and
courteously to put things right when you make a mistake’.
We think that the energy suppliers should offer a freephone number for people experiencing
difficulties or who may be vulnerable.
We think that there needs to be common branding of Priority Service Registers and the like and that
these need more promotion.
Ofgem should require the energy suppliers to agree to a protocol covering their dealings with third
party advice agencies and others acting on behalf of consumers who are in vulnerable
circumstances.
DECC and DoH should ensure that information on help with energy bills and improving home energy
efficiency is made available through health and social care professionals.
Advice and advocacy services
The Department for Business, Skills and Innovation, together with Ofgem, must ensure that there is
an effective set of arrangements at local level to provide all consumers with easily-accessible advice
and support on all energy issues, backed up by national advocacy arrangements.
These issues are becoming more urgent to address with the changes in the energy market that are
coming, such as the Green Deal, smart metering, help for energy efficiency etc. The market looks
like it will become more complex and this will be underpinned by rising prices, so it will become an
increasingly significant issue for consumers.
That’s it – so, now, over to you!