Energy suppliers are obligated by the conditions of their licence to ensure vulnerable consumers know how to use, and benefit from, their smart metering system. Any information provided must be available in a variety of formats, tailored for groups with specific needs. The energy regulator Ofgem is responsible for ensuring energy suppliers comply with their regulatory obligations.

An In-Home Display can be located in a position of the customer’s choosing within the home, in range of the meter’s communications hub, from which it receives information on energy consumption and costs.

The maximum standing charge is limited by the Ofgem price cap. Ofgem reviewed the components of the standing charge in the Summer of 2022 and concluded that maintaining the existing methodology would protect consumers with the greatest energy needs.

Standing charges vary by region, billing method and energy type and range from approximately £99 to £205. In figures published by Ofgem in November 2022, Supplier of Last Resort costs (for those customers whose provider ceases trading) accounts for £61 in the average customer’s energy bill.

The costs of failed energy firms have contributed to an increase in standing charges. The energy regulator, Ofgem, reviewed whether the existing fixed charge was appropriate or whether a usage-based (volumetric) alternative would be more suitable.

Ofgem concluded that while some low consuming users, some of whom may be vulnerable, might benefit from change, there are a number of higher consuming users including vulnerable users that would pay more.

Ofgem’s current methodology protects users with greater energy needs, such as disabled users and users with electric heating in areas off the gas grid.

There are no plans to do this.

As the expert independent regulator, Ofgem is responsible for operating the price cap. Ofgem remains the sole decision-maker over how it is calculated and has consulted extensively on its methodology for determining the cap level. The Government has confidence in Ofgem to set the cap at a level that reflects the underlying efficient costs of supplying energy.

The price cap was never intended to be a permanent feature of the market. As announced in the Autumn Statement, we are developing a new approach to protecting consumers’ energy prices from April 2024.

Ofgem rules include an Ability to Pay Principle that requires suppliers to provide appropriate support for those struggling to pay their bills. Support may include setting up appropriate repayment plans based on a customer’s ability to pay, and by directing the customer to further support services.

Ofgem is responsible for ensuring licensed energy suppliers are complying with their licence conditions. Ofgem publishes details of its compliance and enforcement action on its website.

As of 18 November 2020, 42,507 grant applications have been received for the Green Homes Grant scheme, with 5,928 application from landlords and the remaining 36,579 from owner-occupiers.

As part of the scheme application process, landlords are not asked to declare if they let their property to private residential or social tenants. Therefore we are unable to provide information on the number of applications received, at this level of granularity.

In December 2018 the independent Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) responded to a super-complaint by Citizens Advice on the “Loyalty Penalty”. Since then Government and Regulators have taken significant action to tackle the loyalty penalty.

The FCA has also conducted a Market Study in the mortgages market to better understand the problem in that sector. In mobile and broadband, Ofcom has delivered agreements in both markets to benefit consumers. Consumers now receive Annual Best Tariff Notifications alerting them to their contract terms and the best offers their provider has. All major mobile providers, with the exception of Three, will reduce consumers’ bills once their minimum contract period ends. Broadband consumers are benefitting from a range of voluntary measures agreed with major providers, and Ofcom is investigating whether there should be social tariffs in broadband.

The Government continues to support competitive markets that drive down prices and create better products and services for consumers. It is also committed to strong regulation, where necessary, to protect consumers and drive investment and fair competition by businesses, and looks forward to seeing the further outcomes of the ongoing work by Ofcom and the FCA.

It is against the law to discriminate against someone because of their age or because of being pregnant or on maternity leave.

Under Health and Safety legislation, employers have a legal responsibility to protect workers and others from risk to their health and safety. They should do everything reasonably practicable to minimise the risks. Clinically vulnerable individuals, who are at higher risk of severe illness, have been asked to take extra care in observing social distancing and should be helped to work from home, either in their current role or in an alternative role.

If clinically vulnerable individuals cannot work from home, they should be offered the option of the safest available on site roles, enabling them to stay 2m away from others. The Health and Safety risk assessment should reflect this.

The Health and Safety Executive has guidance for business on how to manage risk and risk assessment at work along with specific advice to help control the risk of coronavirus in workplaces.

The UK has made clear both in public and during discussions with the EEA EFTA states that we will be leaving the European Economic Area (EEA). Continued participation in the EEA Agreement beyond the implementation period would not pass the tests that the Prime Minister set out for our future economic partnership with the EU in that it would not deliver control of our borders or our laws.

In the absence of any further action, the EEA Agreement will no longer operate in respect of the UK when we leave the EU in March 2019.

However, at the March European Council we agreed with the EU that the UK is to be treated as a Member State for the purposes of international agreements for the duration of the implementation period; this includes the EEA Agreement.

Once the implementation period ends, the EEA Agreement will no longer apply to the UK. We will seek to put in place new arrangements with these countries for the end of the implementation period.