Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions his Department has had with Ofgem on any actions they plan to take to prevent energy companies from increasing direct debit payments for customers when those customers have not been informed of those increases occurring.

Ministers and officials regularly meet with Ofgem to discuss a range of energy retail issues.

In 2022 Ofgem undertook a market compliance review and told a number of energy suppliers to take immediate and urgent action, after finding a range of weaknesses or failings with direct debits.

My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State has also written to domestic suppliers setting out his expectations on consumer direct debits.