Recommendation 1
Review or evaluate options for making it easier for consumers to contact their company using communication channels that meet their needs.
Source · National Audit Office
Regulating water, energy and broadband to protect consumers in vulnerable circumstances
The report examined how Ofcom, Ofwat and Ofgem support consumers in vulnerable circumstances and whether they can get the help they need from their providers
Published: 10 Jun 2026
Recommendations: 11
Type: Value for Money
Department: Unknown (355)
Recommendations
No response position recorded.
The indexed recommendations do not yet have a recorded response position. This is separate from evidence of implementation. This report was published 10 June 2026.
Recommendation 2
Take steps to increase the percentage of consumers being effectively signposted to the relevant ombudsman in the event of an unresolved complaint.
Recommendation 3
Increase awareness among consumers of the availability of social tariffs, particularly among those with the greatest need for them. This should include reviewing which actions are most effective in raising awareness, encouraging innovation by companies and publicising good practice.
Recommendation 4
Improve understanding of consumer outcomes, such as satisfaction, among people in financially vulnerable circumstances, and those with greater access, communication or safety needs.
Recommendation 5
Refine the regulator?s debt strategy to target known issues with industry processes such as billing practices, changes when people move homes and switching. Review how effective companies are in offering affordable repayment plans to consumers in debt.
Recommendation 6
Drawing on Ofgem?s experience, improve its understanding of why different water customers fall into debt. This should include reviewing potential barriers to reducing debt or preventing it from increasing, for example any barriers to customers taking up repayment plans.
Recommendation 7
Promote consistency of customer registration and identification that enables targeted and consistent support and communication for customers with similar needs or circumstances. Provide a steer as to how and when companies can prioritise consumers registered, given the diversity of needs it captures.
Recommendation 8
Evaluate evidence and its approach to understanding the experiences of broadband consumers with limiting conditions, and collect additional evidence if needed.
Recommendation 9
Establish, as part of their own performance measures, key performance indicators that reflect the range of consumers? experience and outcomes, including for those in vulnerable circumstances.
Recommendation 10
Provide a clearer account of the range of broadband consumer outcomes in their planning and reporting, including analysis demonstrating the impact of their activities on those outcomes?.
Recommendation 11
Over the next 12 months the Department for Business & Trade, working jointly with other departments and regulators, should outline how it will take forward the commitment to develop a multi-sector approach to bring ?together the current PSRs and similar telecoms registers?.