Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 1
1
Acknowledged
Committee took evidence on energy bills support from various stakeholders.
Conclusion
On the basis of a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, we took evidence from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (The Department)2, the Former Permanent Secretary at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), and HM Treasury about energy bills support.3 We also took evidence from Energy UK, Citizens Advice, Federation of Small Businesses and UK Hospitality.4
Government Response Summary
The government highlights the £40 billion spent on energy support and notes it is learning lessons for future schemes. It is continuing to explore options for supporting consumers from April 2024 by improving the retail energy market and consumer standards.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. almost £40 billion of energy bills support through different schemes from October 2022 to March 2023, an unprecedented pace of intervention. This extensive experience in delivering household support and the valuable lessons learned are now underpinning government planning on a range of possible scenarios for next winter. The government prioritised quickly reaching as many UK households as possible, which was inherently complex, with greater challenges associated with certain households. People not covered by domestic electricity supply arrangements or off the gas grid (or both) are harder to reach and designing and delivering bespoke application-based solutions for them took time. Additional steps were required, for example to develop and implement application systems, checks to guard against fraud and error and to safeguard public money. Local authorities delivered these schemes in Great Britain, which took time deciding eligibility and handling applications securely. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (the department) is seeking to learn lessons on delivery routes and communications so that future schemes could better serve consumers, in particular those who are vulnerable in terms of their personal circumstances or their energy use. The department is continuing to explore options for the best approach to supporting consumers from April 2024, by ensuring the retail energy market works better for consumers, bills remain fair whilst upholding and improving consumer standards, and by working alongside the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) as appropriate.