Citizens Advice - Response to Ofgem’s Statutory consultation on amendments to the Electricity (Standards of performance) Regulations 2015 for Severe Weather Compensation
Our key points relating to our response to Ofgem’s amendments to the Electricity (Standards of Performance) Regulations 2015 for Severe Weather compensation arrangements:
Citizens Advice supports the amendments which will give greater protection to consumers. We welcome:
- the update of regulations allowing payment to be paid by bank transfer and considering other electronic payment methods.
- the increase of the compensation cap.
- the introduction of an inflation adjustment mechanism and the update of the current payments in line with the current inflation rate.
- the removal of storm category 3 from existing regulations.
However, Citizens Advice considers that amendments should go further. We recommend the draft Statutory Instrument should be further amended to reflect below recommendations:
- the protection should extend to people that use sub-meters or pay landlords for electricity.
- other digital payment methods should be made available to consumers as soon as practically possible.
- customers that experience a short temporary restoration of supply should be compensated appropriately.