Source · Select Committees · Energy Security and Net Zero Committee
Recommendation 1
1
Acknowledged
Accelerate effective data sharing between stakeholders to improve support schemes and tackle fuel poverty.
Conclusion
More effective data sharing between key stakeholders will be essential in making all government support schemes fairer, better targeted and cost effective. We welcome the Government’s plans to improve data sharing across Whitehall but believe it must move further and faster, recognising that more effective data sharing will be instrumental in tackling fuel poverty. Political will and cultural resistance, rather than legislative or regulatory barriers, have been the main obstacles to progress so far. (Conclusion, Paragraph 17)
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the priority of improving data sharing and outlines ongoing work across departments, including a working group with industry, to enhance data accuracy and availability for better targeting support.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
Improving data accuracy and data sharing is being treated as a priority by this Government, owing to its potential to revolutionise the way in which support is delivered. The primary barrier to improving the targeting of any form of energy bill support is the availability of accurate and reliable data. DESNZ is committed to accelerating progress in enhancing data sharing, accuracy, and availability. We are working to unlock household data to enable us to target support more effectively. DESNZ continues to work with other government departments (including the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) and His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC)) to seek better and more innovative ways of matching and sharing data to be able to better target vulnerable consumers, including those on a low income. We have brought together legal and data protection experts across Government to look at how data that the Government holds can be used to identify people who need household utility support in England. The National Data Library (NDL) in DSIT will support DESNZ and other departments to reform the way energy bill support is offered to families, using data to deliver meaningful improvements. This work will aim to improve our ability to make support schemes more targeted at those in need. DESNZ has already established mechanisms for collaboration with key government departments and chairs a working group with industry representatives, primarily Energy UK, Ofgem, Devolved Administrations, other government departments and advice agencies, to take continued action on improving affordability and accessibility of energy. DESNZ will ensure that industry remains involved as this work progresses and will continue the working group to consider longer-term work on data sharing.