Third time lucky for consumers on energy deals?
The Government has set out its plans to ensure the UK is net zero on emissions by 2050, but one energy business fears the UK’s most vulnerable consumers will pick up the bill if promises to support them are not followed through.
Mark Gutteridge, Managing Director of Flipper, based in North Somerset, which ensures thousands of consumers across the UK stay on a cheap energy tariff year after year, said: “Let’s hope it is third time lucky for consumers. While we absolutely support the plan for a fairer, greener energy network, the track record of successive governments of actually delivering for energy consumers is not good.
“In 2003 the then Government vowed to ensure every home would be adequately and affordably heated. Seventeen years later three out of five homes still have an energy efficiency rating of D or lower.
“In 2007 the Government pledged that saving energy would mean lower bills, but while household energy consumption has fallen significantly, the average dual fuel energy bill is still the same as it was in 2010.”
The latest White Paper, launched by Energy Minister Alok Sharma says the Government will put “affordability at the heart” of the UK’s shift away from fossil fuels by boosting competition in the energy retail market and tackling the “loyalty penalty” where longstanding customers pay more than new ones.
Mark Gutteridge of Flipper said: “The ambitious programme the Government has outlined to clean up our energy industry will require massive amounts of investment. It is essential that consumers, especially those who are most vulnerable, don’t end up bearing this cost through higher bills.
“While the Government will be consulting on what can be done to avoid this, we are already ensuring our members stay on a great deal by checking their bills every month and switching them to a better deal whenever they can save. On average we save people £385 a year.
“Most of our customers come to us because they don’t have the time to keep checking and have found the switching process is not made easy by the energy companies.
“Being loyal to your energy provider means you end up paying the highest prices so it is fantastic that the Government is looking at how to address this, but we need to see those words put into action.”
11 million households across the UK are on the Standard Variable Tariff and every one of them could save on their bills by registering at www.flipper.co.uk. Others on lower tariffs are likely to make savings if they have not switched for a while.
