NEA NI welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Consumer Council’s Draft 2024-2025 Forward Work Progamme. We work closely with the CCNI across many aspects of this work, but especially in relation to energy issues including consumer protection, empowering consumers, and policy development.

NEA response to Ofgem’s Call for Evidence on Prepayment Rules and Protections

This research study has been completed with the support of Smart Energy GB to evaluate the potential benefits of smart prepayment, investigate remaining barriers that are preventing further uptake and consider a range of potential interventions to maximise the rollout of smart prepayment in the remaining years of the rollout.

It is imperative that prepayment meter (PPM) customers continue to receive protection. It is therefore clear that the prepayment cap must continue after its upcoming termination in the form of a CMA regulated cap.

It is imperative that prepayment meter (PPM) customers continue to receive protection. The CMA stated in its initial ruling of the energy market investigation that PPM customers have higher actual and perceived barriers to switching that arise from both lack of internet connectivity and the need to physically change meter to switch to a wider range of tariffs.