Source · Select Committees · Work and Pensions Committee
Recommendation 17
17
Deferred
Lack of data hinders introduction of a social tariff for energy bill support.
Conclusion
Data is needed to identify people not on means-tested benefits but in need of bill support. Not having the mechanisms for this is one of the barriers to the introduction of a social tariff for energy. It is already an issue in other sectors, such as water, where social tariffs are underclaimed. (Conclusion, Paragraph 100)
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges data availability as a key barrier and states it is continuing cross-departmental work on data matching. It plans to set out more details on its approach to data and targeting future support in the new Fuel Poverty Strategy, due later this year.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
We know more needs to be done to support households struggling with their bills and that data availability is a key barrier. The Committee rightly points to the issue that those who are not on means-tested benefits are missing out on support. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero continues to work with other key departments – including the Department for Work and Pensions, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Cabinet Office, HM Revenue and Customs and the Department for Health and Social Care on the matter of data matching. We plan to set out more details of our approach to data and the targeting of future bill support and energy efficiency support schemes in the new Fuel Poverty Strategy which is due to be published later this year.