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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that consumers are notified that their energy tariff is ending in time to make preparations to find the cheapest tariff.

Ofgem Licence Conditions currently require energy supply companies to provide their customers with a notification, no earlier than 49 days and no later than 42 days before the end of their fixed term contract is due to end.

From 11 February 2019 this rule will be one of many, replaced by principles-based rules on customer communications that will provide flexibility on when notifications can be sent. These principles will require suppliers to send notices before the end of a fixed term deal at a time designed to prompt customers to take action, while also leaving reasonable time for the customer to make an informed choice about the tariff options available.

More information on these changes can be found online at: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/final-decision-domestic-supplier-customer-communications-rulebook-reforms.