Energy supplies

Energy suppliers have announced that no vulnerable customers have had their supply cut off since their announcement to protect vulnerable people from disconnection.

The announcement is a response to a new report published by the trade and industry select committee of the House of Commons. The committee conducted an inquiry last year into the practice of disconnecting customers who do not pay their bills.

Government Response: Department of Trade and Industry

A spokesman for the Department of Trade and Industry said: "We welcome the committee's report and will consider this. We do believe that material progress has been made in this area over the past year. Particularly with regard to the guidelines on disconnection which were designed to avoid as far as possible the disconnection of vulnerable customers."

Stakeholder Response: Energy Retail Association

Duncan Sedgwick, chief executive of the Energy Retail Association, said: "The select committee’s report relates to an inquiry that took place seven months ago.

 

"Energy suppliers were developing new policies on disconnection before the inquiry began and throughout the winter a new safety net procedure has been used successfully by suppliers and, as a result, no vulnerable person has been disconnected.