Members of Parliament (MPs) are urging the government to outline its strategies for safeguarding households from high energy costs during the winter season. They have highlighted that approximately 1.7 million individuals, including vulnerable groups, have experienced significant delays in receiving previous forms of assistance.
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has expressed concerns regarding the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s (DESNZ) lack of urgency in addressing the energy market failures that contribute to inflated energy bills for consumers. According to PAC Chair Meg Hillier, the surge in energy prices has caused hardships for households across the UK. While the government has taken swift action to provide support to households and businesses, many in urgent need of assistance have been left waiting, forcing them to make difficult decisions.
The committee has called on the government to provide an update on its plans to ensure affordable energy for households this winter. Hillier added that, despite being halfway through the year, there have been no clear plans presented to address energy affordability for the upcoming winter. Urgent action is required to secure protection against future price increases and enhance overall sector resilience.
Nearly 900,000 households, including those residing in park homes or on boats, only became eligible for energy bill support in late February, nearly five months after the main scheme started providing discounts to consumers. Additionally, around 830,000 households in Northern Ireland began receiving energy bill support in January.
By the end of April, approximately £160 million worth of energy support vouchers for households utilizing traditional prepayment meters had not been redeemed. In February, DESNZ estimated that support for households and businesses would amount to £69 billion, with £16 billion already disbursed between October and December 2022.
A spokesperson for DESNZ highlighted that today’s report fails to acknowledge the complexities associated with providing support to households without a direct relationship with an energy supplier. They emphasized the necessity of establishing a robust system to combat fraud before implementing such programs. The spokesperson also noted that millions of individuals received assistance within weeks, and 83% of energy bill support vouchers have already been redeemed.
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