Asked by: Colleen Fletcher (Labour - Coventry North East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate her Department has made of the average amount spent on energy bills per household in (a) Coventry North East constituency, (b) Coventry, (c) the West Midlands and (d) England in each of the last five years.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
Data on household electricity and gas energy bills are published as part of the Quarterly Energy Prices statistical series (here). The department collects this information at the regional level and does not hold it for smaller geographies.
Average annual domestic electricity bills for England and UK regions are presented in table QEP 2.2.3 and average annual domestic gas bills for GB regions are presented in table QEP 2.3.3 (here).
Asked by: Colleen Fletcher (Labour - Coventry North East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent assessment she has made on the impact of rising energy prices on the number of households in (a) Coventry North East constituency and (b) Coventry; and what steps her Department is taking to reduce fuel poverty levels in those areas.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
Energy prices have fallen significantly since the winter of 2022-23. The Quarter 2 2024 price cap of £1,690 has fallen by nearly 60% since the Quarter 1 2023 price cap peak. Despite this fall in prices, we have been supporting millions of vulnerable and low income households through the £900 cost-of-living payments, alongside established financial support including the £150 Warm Home Discount.
There are also multiple targeted energy efficiency schemes in place delivering measures to low income and fuel poor households.
We are currently reviewing the 2021 fuel poverty strategy for England ‘Sustainable Warmth’.
Sub-regional fuel poverty estimates for 2022 will be published on 25th April 2024.
Asked by: Colleen Fletcher (Labour - Coventry North East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent estimate her Department has made of the proportion of households in (a) Coventry North East constituency, (b) Coventry, (c) the West Midlands and (d) England that spent more than 10% of their income on energy costs in each of the last three years.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
The latest official Fuel Poverty Statistics for England were published in February 2023 on gov.uk here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/fuel-poverty-statistics#2022-Statistics
In addition to reporting against the official fuel poverty metric for England, these statistics included an affordability measure of the number of households required to spend more than 10 per cent of their income on domestic energy. These can be found in Annex D: Affordability measures for England, of the annual report.
Affordability measure estimates are not held at sub-national level. Figures are available at sub-national level for fuel poverty under the Low-income Low energy efficiency (LILEE) metric, on gov.uk here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/sub-regional-fuel-poverty-data-2023-2021-data
Asked by: Colleen Fletcher (Labour - Coventry North East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of trends in the level of fuel poverty in (a) Coventry North East constituency, (b) Coventry, (c) the West Midlands and (d) England; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the rising cost of living on levels of fuel poverty in each of those areas.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
The Government has not made a recent assessment of trends in fuel poverty in these areas. The latest official sub-regional statistics for 2021 (published 27th April 2023) show the number of households in fuel poverty in Coventry North East Constituency was 11,400 (23.3%) and Coventry local authority was 28,525 (20.8). The latest official statistics for 2022 (published 28th February 2023) show for the West Midlands administrative area 489,000 (19.2%) and England 3,257,000 households (13.4%).
Energy efficiency is the best way to tackle fuel poverty and the Government are delivering measures to fuel poor households and provided significant financial support last winter and further support is available for 2023-24.
Asked by: Colleen Fletcher (Labour - Coventry North East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what guidance his Department has prepared for energy suppliers when a customer declines a smart meter installation on multiple occasions.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
Independent evidence from Smart Energy GB shows that 37% of people in Great Britain without smart meters would seek or accept, if offered, a smart meter installation within the next six months, and many of those that say they wouldn't, go onto have them installed. So, there remains good consumer demand for energy suppliers to convert into installations.
To facilitate this, the Government has identified and shared good practice with energy suppliers on effective consumer engagement and operational delivery. Ofgem has also provided guidance on its expectation that suppliers have appropriate re-contact strategies for consumers that have not yet taken up their smart meter offer.
Asked by: Colleen Fletcher (Labour - Coventry North East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of a customer’s right of refusal to install a smart meter on the progress of the ongoing rollout.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
Independent evidence from Smart Energy GB shows that 37% of people in Great Britain without smart meters would seek or accept, if offered, a smart meter installation within the next six months, and many of those that say they wouldn't, go onto have them installed. So, there remains good consumer demand for energy suppliers to convert into installations.
To facilitate this, the Government has identified and shared good practice with energy suppliers on effective consumer engagement and operational delivery. Ofgem has also provided guidance on its expectation that suppliers have appropriate re-contact strategies for consumers that have not yet taken up their smart meter offer.
Asked by: Colleen Fletcher (Labour - Coventry North East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of the increases in the cost of living on the number of households in (a) Coventry North East constituency, (b) Coventry, (c) the West Midlands and (d) England that have fallen into arrears with their energy supplier.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
Ofgem publishes statistics on energy debt and arrears which can be found at: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/debt-and-arrears-indicators.
The Government introduced the ‘Breathing Space’ scheme which aims to address the ability of consumers to tackle debt and offers legal protections from creditors for 60 days. Under Ofgem rules, energy companies must set appropriate repayment plans based on a customer’s ability to pay for those at risk of, or in, debt.
Asked by: Colleen Fletcher (Labour - Coventry North East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an estimate of the number of households with smart meters in (a) Coventry North East constituency, (b) Coventry, (c) the West Midlands and (d) England that do not have a functioning in-home visual display unit.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
When energy suppliers install smart meters in a household, they are required to offer the customer an In-Home Display (IHD). They are also obligated to provide support for IHDs, including a repair or replacement where necessary, within the first year of installation. The Government does not hold data on the number of households experiencing problems with IHDs.
However, research shows the majority of smart metered consumers use IHDs as their primary method of monitoring energy use, and that this feedback is supporting consumers in managing their usage and reducing consumption.
Ofgem is responsible for regulating suppliers against their licence obligations.
Asked by: Colleen Fletcher (Labour - Coventry North East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an estimate of the number of households that have smart meters that are not functioning properly due to communications infrastructure.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
The Government collects data on the number of smart meters in traditional mode, i.e. meters temporarily unable to automatically send meter readings to the energy supplier, at Great Britain level only.[1]
The Data Communications Company (DCC), which operates the smart meter national communications infrastructure, is obligated under its licence to provide coverage to at least 99.25% of premises across Great Britain. In addition, energy suppliers are obligated to take all reasonable steps to ensure their customers’ smart meters are functional.
The energy regulator Ofgem is responsible for regulating energy suppliers and the DCC against their licence obligations.
Asked by: Colleen Fletcher (Labour - Coventry North East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will make an estimate of the number of households with smart meters in (a) Coventry North East constituency, (b) Coventry, (c) the West Midlands and (d) England that are required to provide manual meter readings of their energy usage to their supplier; and what steps the Data Communications Company is taking to resolve smart metering communication issues.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
The Government collects data on the number of smart meters in traditional mode, i.e. meters temporarily unable to automatically send meter readings to the energy supplier, at Great Britain level only.[1]
The Data Communications Company (DCC), which operates the smart meter national communications infrastructure, is obligated under its licence to provide coverage to at least 99.25% of premises across Great Britain. In addition, energy suppliers are obligated to take all reasonable steps to ensure their customers’ smart meters are functional.
The energy regulator Ofgem is responsible for regulating energy suppliers and the DCC against their licence obligations.