2011 Vulnerable Customers Research by FDS International
Reports, plans and updates
Publication date
Industry sector
Supply and Retail Market
Report by FDS International on qualitative research undertaken with vulnerable consumers in 2011 on behalf of Ofgem. The report concludes that the energy market is still not operating as well as it could do and this is particularly true for vulnerable customers.
Pre-payment meter (PPM) customers are particularly dissatisfied and Ofgem should publicise more widely (or encourage energy companies to publicise more widely) the fact PPM customers pay similar prices to other customers.
A common method of presenting prices was widely viewed as a good idea and will help many potential switchers, although this change will not, in itself, encourage many vulnerable customers to switch.
People reacted postively to the idea of Ofgem controlling prices because they believed prices would be fairer and more stable. But part of the appeal of this proposition was that more vulnerable customers would feel less need to engage actively with the energy market once on a controlled tariff.