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Prime Minister pledges energy action to Citizens Advice

17 October 2011

Just before the Energy Summit today (Monday 17 October), the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, visited Citizens Advice.

Citizens Advice helps 2.1m people a year, and has recently seen a near doubling in the number of online enquiries about energy prices.

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The Prime Minister said:

“It’s really important we work together to help people keep their bills down. Thank you for the work the Citizens Advice Bureaux will do nationally and locally to help get people onto to cheaper tariffs and switch suppliers.”

The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change said:

“We need to make sure the most in need can access free insulation and the Citizens Advice Bureaux have crucial role to get that information out there.”

Gillian Guy, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice said:

“This is a huge problem. We’re seeing a rush of people wanting simple, sensible advice about cutting their energy bills. That shows how far the big six have to go in making it easy to get the right deal.

“At the summit later today, I’ll be pressing for an agreement to get rid of complicated and confusing tariffs, make sure the poorest households don’t end up paying for the loft insulation of the richest households through unfair add-ons to their bills, and makes the energy market properly competitive.”

Citizens Advice

Notes to editors

  1. The Citizens Advice service comprises a network of local bureaux, all of which are independent charities, and national charity Citizens Advice. Together we help people resolve their money, legal and other problems by providing information and advice and by influencing policymakers. For more information in England and Wales see www.citizensadvice.org.uk
  2. The advice provided by the Citizens Advice service is free, independent, confidential, and impartial, and available to everyone regardless of race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion, age or nationality. For online advice and information see www.adviceguide.org.uk
  3. Citizens Advice Bureaux in England and Wales advised 2.1 million clients on 6.9 million problems from April 2011 to March 2012. For full 2011/2012 service statistics see our quarterly publication Advice trends
  4. Out of 22 national charities, the Citizens Advice service is ranked by the general public as being the most helpful, approachable, professional, informative, effective / cost effective, reputable and accountable (nfpSynergy’s Brand Attributes survey, May 2010).
  5. Most Citizens Advice service staff are trained volunteers, working at around 3,500 service outlets across England and Wales.