Survey

Please fill in our survey to give your feedback on our policy pages. Your responses will help us continue to improve how we present policy research and data on our website.

Citizens Advice response to Ofgem’s implementation of the CMA’s Whole of Market recommendation

Response to Ofgem’s consultation on the implementation of the CMA’sWhole of Market recommendation 234 KB

As​ ​the​ ​lines​ ​between​ ​markets​ ​are​ ​becoming​ ​increasingly​ ​blurred,​ ​with​ ​new models​ ​being​ ​data​ ​or​ communication​ ​driven​ ​and​ ​bundled​ ​products​ ​on​ ​offer,​ ​it​ ​is essential​ ​that there is​ joined​ ​up​ ​and​ ​coherent​ ​regulation​ ​across​ ​markets.​ ​

Citizens​ ​Advice​ ​has​ ​been​ ​concerned​ ​for​ ​some​ ​time​ ​about​ ​the​ ​lack​ ​of​ ​protections for​ ​energy​ ​consumers​ ​who​ ​engage​ ​with​ ​TPIs.​ ​As​ ​we​ ​start​ ​to​ ​see​ ​other​ ​types​ ​of​ TPIs​ ​enter​ ​the​ ​market,​ ​and​ ​more domestic​ ​consumers​ ​engaging​ ​with​ ​their​ services,​ ​there​ ​is​ ​an​ ​urgent need​ ​for​ ​regulation. Consumers​ ​should​ ​be​ ​entitled​ ​to​ the​ ​same​ ​level​ ​of​ ​protections​ ​no​ ​matter what​ ​route​ ​they​ ​take​ ​to​ ​engage​ ​with​ ​the​ market. At present ​there​ ​are​ ​​gaps​ ​in​ ​protection​ ​for​ ​consumers​ ​who​ ​use​ ​TPIs, with this​ ​likely​ ​to​ ​increase​ ​as​ ​new​ ​business​ ​models​ ​are​ ​launched.