Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the press notice by her predecessor Department entitled BEIS in the Autumn Statement, published on 18 December 2022, what her planned timetable is for assessing the potential merits of (a) introducing social tariffs and (b) wider retail market reforms in the energy sector.

A social tariff is fundamentally about supporting the most vulnerable with the cost of energy and this is what we have delivered. Between 2022-25 we are delivering a package of support worth £108 billion, or £3,800 per household on average, across 2022-25.

In 2023-24 we have supported millions of vulnerable households with up to £900 in further cost-of-living payments. Despite the Quarter 2 2024 Ofgem price cap falling nearly 60% since its 2023 peak, we have committed to supporting households past April, by cutting National Insurance, and increasing benefits and the National Living Wage.

We have also been working with Ofgem on their new involuntary prepayment meter rules and a long-term solution to end the prepayment meter premium. I met with suppliers at the end of last year to outline my expectation that they support vulnerable customers and improve their customer service.

The Government published a vision for a reformed retail energy market in July 2023 (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/delivering-a-better-energy-retail-market/delivering-a-better-energy-retail-market-a-vision-for-the-future-and-package-of-targeted-reforms-html) and set out further reform measures in a package of publications on 23 February 2024 (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-package-of-measures-to-help-families-save-even-more-on-bills).