We have published our updated Consumer Vulnerability Strategy. It will build on the earlier work of our previous strategy.
What is the Ofgem Consumer Vulnerability Strategy?
Our strategy builds upon the already extensive work delivered under our 2013 Consumer Vulnerability Strategy, and sets out our priorities to help protect gas and electricity consumers in vulnerable situations until 2025. The energy market is going through great change with the impact of digitalisation, decarbonisation and decentralisation. Our new strategy sets the outcomes that Ofgem expects industry to achieve, so vulnerable consumers are not left behind by the pace of change in the energy industry.
The Consumer Vulnerability Strategy outlines our approach until 2025. We will focus on five themes including data, affordability, customer service, innovation and partnership working to drive improved outcomes for consumers in vulnerable situations.
The strategy is informed by extensive stakeholder engagement, including consulting on a draft version, events held in Cardiff, Glasgow and London, interviews with academics and other experts and responses to our open letter published in December 2018.
How we define Vulnerability
We define vulnerability as when a consumer’s personal circumstances and characteristics combine with aspects of the market to create situations where they are:
- significantly less able than a typical consumer to protect or represent his or her interests in the energy market
- significantly more likely than a typical consumer to suffer detriment, or that detriment is likely to be more substantial
Through the publications and update feed below you can access our publications and outputs produced in relation to the Consumer Vulnerability Strategy.