Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what measures may be being considered to reduce the time it takes for energy companies to refund customers any credit after a change of energy supplier.

The Government expects energy suppliers to refund customers promptly where money is owed. Ofgem already requires automatic compensation in specific cases, including where final bills or credit balance refunds are delayed following a switch.

The Government supports Ofgem’s ongoing review of Guaranteed Standards of Performance (GSOP) payments including proposals for inflation-linked compensation. A further consultation on this work is expected in the coming months as part of Ofgem’s Consumer Outcomes package.

More broadly, through its review of Ofgem and its consultation on faster and fairer redress for consumers, the Government has set out reforms to strengthen the regulator as a consumer champion, including stronger powers to enforce consumer law directly and help ensure customers receive what they are owed.