Consumer Focus
Ofgem has now taken over management of a code of practice used by energy price comparison websites for households. Managed by Consumer Focus since 2008, the Confidence Code ensures that websites accredited through the code have to make sure that prices they quote for energy deals and information given about the offers are done in […]
British Gas saw a drop in its business energy profits of £17m while its residential sector saw a massive boost. Its profits in 2012 topped £606million for its residential customers, rising 11% compared with the year before, according to the supplier’s yearly results released today. The firm’s parent company Centrica put this down to “cooler […]
Tough new standards for energy suppliers to make the market “simpler and fairer” for consumers will come into effect this summer. Energy watchdog Ofgem is counting down to delivering a clearer energy market by capping on tariff numbers provided by suppliers and are calling on for their support. Under the new measures, suppliers will be […]
Greater powers for Ofgem to help businesses from brokers who mis-sell energy could help close the “protection gap” on energy issues in the industry. That’s the view of a consumer group who welcomed the energy regulator’s call for the Government to give it more powers to take direct action against “rogue” brokers. Ofgem said it […]
A bad switching experience is one of the main reasons that puts consumers off from changing energy suppliers. New research by Consumer Focus suggests more than a quarter (26%) of consumers said they would not consider switching their gas or electricity provider in the future due to problems experienced during the process. The most common […]
The Government should make sure the Green Deal provides incentives for UK businesses too or the scheme could be a “false dawn”. That’s the view of the British Chambers of Commerce which represents more than 100,000 businesses in the UK. Its comment follows the Government’s announcement of a cashback scheme as part of the Green […]
UK consumers getting a smart meter installed are urged to “take up their right” to get a free energy display (pictured). Under new rules that came into effect last week, energy firms fitting a smart meter in homes across the country must offer customers an in-home energy display at no upfront cost. The display is […]
Consumer groups have welcomed the agreement between Ofgem and E.ON after the energy supplier failed to abide by the regulator’s rules. E.ON will be paying shares of £1.4 million to around 94,000 of its customers for overcharging them following price hikes in 2008 and 2011. Consumer Focus and uSwitch.com said this was a “sensible” and […]
Ofgem believes the Government’s new proposals for energy prices will stop consumers being “bamboozled” by complex tariffs. The energy regulator made the comment following DECC’s plans for suppliers to limit to four main tariffs per fuel type and offer consumers their lowest prices. Last month the watchdog announced plans for a “simpler, clearer and fairer” […]
The UK Government’s new strategy for efficiency is expected to ‘kick-start a revolution’ and save up to 22 power stations worth of energy by 2020. DECC’s first ‘Energy Efficiency Strategy’ published today suggests the country could be saving 196TWh of energy in 2020 through “socially cost-effective” investment in energy efficiency. This could help cut emissions […]