Report urges policymakers to ensure market reforms benefit consumers

On Thursday 11 April, Citizen’s Advice published a discussion paper looking at how to ensure that the energy market reforms needed to reach net zero are beneficial for consumers. Citizens Advice states it is worried that the benefits of market reforms such as the Marketwide Half Hourly Settlement may not be maximised for customers. As such, it makes five recommendations to ensure that people will benefit from a net zero electricity system. These include: solving risks which could result in default tariff customers facing significant cost increases; introducing a tiered Warm Home Discount Scheme providing bill discounts to more people on low incomes; a renewed policy framework for smart metering; upgrading consumer protections through introducing a Consumer Duty for energy retailers, as well as closing protection gaps for firms selling other energy products like flexibility services; and reforming retail market rules which prevent new energy supply models that deliver better choices and fair competition.