Research with customers of energy suppliers that have gone out of business
Guidance
Publication date
Industry sector
Supply and Retail Market
We regularly undertake research to understand the needs and experiences of energy consumers, and to ensure our policies and protections are working.
We’ve recently commissioned a research company, ‘Ipsos Mori’, to contact households that we have had to switch to another energy company because their supplier went out of business. This process is sometimes called a ‘Supplier of Last Resort’ process, or the ‘Ofgem Safety Net’.
If you have experienced this, Ipsos Mori may contact you during November to ask if you want to take part in our research and if we can use your information. Here we explain the research project, and how we might use your data if you choose to take part.
Why have I been selected for this research?
We want to explore customer experiences within recent ‘Supplier of Last Resort’ processes that we have run in the last year as a result of an energy supplier going out of business.
In taking part in Ofgem’s Consumer Survey earlier this year, you responded saying that you have experienced your supplier going into administration. You also said that you could be re-contacted in case Ofgem wanted to follow up on any of the findings from this research.
If Ipsos Mori contact you, it means we’d like to hear more about your experience. You can choose to not take part in the research project. But if you do participate, you’ll help us in our monitoring and evaluation to improve the process for other consumers in the future.
Who is Ofgem?
Ofgem is the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets. We are a non-ministerial government department and an independent National Regulatory Authority. Our principal objective when carrying out our functions is to protect the interests of existing and future electricity and gas consumers.
You can find more information on our role and what we do on our ‘about us’ page.
Who is the research company ‘Ipsos Mori?
Ipsos Mori is a specialist research company who sources participants across the UK for market research. We have appointed them to recruit participants in our research project.
How will Ipsos Mori contact me?
They will only contact you by telephone or email. No one will call at your door.
What information will I be given when I am first contacted?
When you are first contacted by Ipsos Mori, we require them to explain to you:
- why you are being contacted
- how your personal information is being used and your rights in respect of the use of that information
- the purpose of our ‘Supplier of Last Resort’ research
- that it is your choice whether you agree to take part in the research
- what your participation in the research would involve.
If I take part, what could I be asked to do?
If you agree to take part in the research, Ipsos Mori will pass on your information to us at Ofgem so that we can arrange a time for telephone interview that suits you. During the interview, we will ask you questions to help us understand your needs as an energy consumer and how these could be affected when being switched to another supplier from a supplier going out of business. As part of this process, we may ask questions about how you use gas or electricity and your views.
Use of your personal information and data
How long will my personal information be held?
The personal information provided by Ipsos Mori to Ofgem will be stored by Ipsos Mori until the end of this research project – i.e. when all participants have been identified and interviews undertaken, which will be throughout November 2019. Ipsos Mori will then destroy all your personal information and notify us that they have done so. 12 months after you have given consent for this data to be used we will also destroy all personal information held.
Will my responses to the research be confidential?
The information gathered during the interviews will remain completely confidential. It will be anonymised, analysed and held securely by Ofgem. A report of findings, which will not include any of your personal information, may be published on the Ofgem website.
This research will help our policy development and deepen our understanding of how best to protect customers in the case that a supplier goes out of business.
All notes and audio recordings made during an interview will be securely retained for a period of 12 months from your consent. They shall be destroyed.
All parties are required to keep your personal information secure and to comply with data protection law.
Who controls my personal information in the research project?
Ofgem is the controller of your personal information, and Ipsos Mori is the processor of that information.
This means that with your consent, we will determine how and why your personal information is being processed. Ipsos Moriwill undertake the processing on our behalf.
More information on our data and information policies can be found in our privacy policy.
You can raise any questions or concerns you may have in respect of your personal information with Ofgem’s Data Protection Officer - dpo@ofgem.gov.uk.
What rights do I have in respect of my personal information?
You have the right to:
- request access to the information which Ofgem (or its research partner – People for Research) hold about you;
- request amendment or destruction of your information;
- request we restrict the processing of your information;
- object to the processing your information or withdraw your consent; or
- request we transfer your information to another organisation.
If you have further questions about this research project, you can contact us at:
Email: consumeraffairs@ofgem.gov.uk