Responding to today’s price cap announcement, Energy UK’s Deputy Director Daniel Portis said:
“The rise in bills coming in January had been predicted but it will still be unwelcome news for customers who – in the absence of the Government support seen last winter – will still be paying as much, or even more, as they did a year ago. Suppliers continue to step up the support they provide to customers struggling to afford their bills through direct financial assistance and emergency credit, as well as training frontline staff to help callers further. They have worked closely with charities and consumer groups, including signing up to voluntary commitments to support customers in debt – but the industry cannot solve an affordability problem of this scale on its own. We continue to urge the Government to look at putting in place targeted support for those most in need this winter.
“With prices likely to stay around this level for the foreseeable future, we also need to press ahead with measures to keep bills down over the long-term. That means the Government getting on with their pledge to look at introducing consistent bill support through, for example, a social tariff and by making more of our homes energy efficient.”