The petition of residents of the constituency of Linlithgow and East Falkirk,
Declares that whilst the Energy Cap has decreased, many people are still experiencing extreme difficulty paying energy bills for a number of reasons including the lack of a UK Government Bill Energy Bill Support Scheme and the increased financial pressure from the cost of living generally; notes that whilst there is widespread, legitimate criticism of energy companies many are providing some financial support to consumers in such circumstances but this is not widely known.
The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to publish accessible information on support available from all energy companies so that those who are struggling financially maximise their chances of surviving the cost of living crisis.
And the petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Martyn Day, Official Report, 28 November 2023; Vol. 741, c. 806.]
[P002881]
Observations from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero (Amanda Solloway):
The Government recognise the challenges posed by cost-of-living pressures, including the impact of energy bills, and is already providing extensive financial support to households.
This includes a package of support to assist households and individuals with rising costs of living that will total over £104 billion, or £3,700 per household on average, over 2022 to 2025.
While the current price cap has risen slightly, the Q1 2024 price cap of £1,928 has decreased significantly since the last year, when the Q1 2023 price cap peaked at £4,279.
The Government are working with Ofgem and suppliers on the best way to support customers facing high levels of debt or other challenges linked to their energy bills.
In instances where consumers anticipate difficulty paying their energy bills, the Government recommend they contact their energy supplier at the earliest opportunity. Under Ofgem rules, suppliers must work with consumers to agree a payment plan they can afford.
Forms of support from suppliers with the cost of energy include:
payment breaks or reductions
more time to pay
access to hardship funds
advice on how to use less energy
As the Government are not responsible for support that individual energy suppliers offer, we cannot provide a full list of different support offered by various energy suppliers for customers in varying circumstances. Instead, the Government recommend that any customer struggling to pay their energy bills contacts their supplier for additional support.
Many energy companies offer schemes or grants to help with home heating and energy costs, for example by making homes more energy-efficient, or offer free boiler checks and upgrades. Some of these schemes are available to non-customers also.
Citizens Advice lists the grants that some larger suppliers offer on its website and provides access to energy advisers via the telephone. They will provide advice to consumers about what help they are eligible for and how to access it. All this advice and support is available via gov.uk, the Ofgem website and the Citizens Advice website and telephone services.
We recommend the following sources of advice and support with paying energy bills: