Response to proposed modifications to regulation and governance for the switching programme

Response to proposed modifications to regulation and governance for the switching programme 290 KB .

Citizens Advice is the consumer representative in the industry code governance framework. We have membership and voting rights on a number of the modification panels and can raise modifications on most codes. This affords us a unique insight into the range of existing code governance models.

The Retail Energy Code is a challenging endeavour, with a broad range of parties and stakeholders, governing arrangements in a retail market that is likely to see a high degree of disruptive change in the coming years. In response to this challenge we support Ofgem’s ambitions for the REC to be ‘best in class’, and to build on the work started by Ofgem in 2017 in response to the CMA’s investigation, notably through the introduction of a code manager function.

We strongly support the aim of a consolidated REC, that leads to a simpler code landscape, more focused on consumer outcomes and with reduced costs. To achieve this aim it it vital for industry to work efficiently with Ofgem to deliver a fully consolidated REC as soon as possible after the new switching arrangements go-live.