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Written question asked by Paul Burstow (Liberal Democrat) on Monday, 10 November 2008, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 12 November 2008. It was answered by Mike O'Brien (Labour) on Wednesday, 26 November 2008 on behalf of the Department of Energy and Climate Change.

Energy: Fees and Charges

Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many social tariff accounts were available to consumers of each energy supply company in each of the last three years; and how many customers of each company were on social tariffs.
Answer

Ofgem published its first review of suppliers ““Voluntary Initiative to Help Vulnerable Customers”” on 6 August 2007, which covered the period to July 2007. Ofgem updated this report in October 2007. Both reports can be found online at:"http://www.ofgem.gov.uk/Sustainability/SocAction/Suppliers/CSR/Documentsl/Review%20of%20suppliers%20voluntary%20initiatives.pdf""http://www.ofgem.gov.uk/Sustainability/SocAction/Suppliers/CSR/Documents1/CSR_update_open_letter_23507.pdf"The October update report shows that the number of gas and electricity customer accounts on suppliers' social tariffs per suppliers was around:

Supplier Number (as at 31 August 2007)
British Gas 280,000
EDF Energy 59,979
Npower 2,457
Powergen 10,373
Scottish Power 0
SSE 12,521
Total 365,330

Following the announcement in Budget 2008, energy suppliers agreed in April, to increase how much they are spending on social programmes. This year they will be spending collectively £100 million, rising to £125 million in 2009-10 and £150 million in 2010-11. Suppliers have only provided forecast numbers for the first time for 2008, which shows around 600,000 customer accounts are expected to be on social tariffs this winter. The actual number of customer accounts on social tariffs during the first year of the voluntary agreement will be published in Ofgem's next reporting cycle in 2009.Ofgem will shortly be publishing a report on suppliers' social programmes, which will show the number of customer accounts, by each supplier, on social tariffs, to the end of March 2008.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
483 c2146-7W;483 c2147W; 235322
Session
2007-08
Subjects
Energy Prices
Link
View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk