Citizens Advice response to the Ofgem Forward Work Programme 2023-2024

Citizens Advice response to Ofgem draft Forward Work Programme 2023/24 [ 86 kb]

Citizens Advice welcomes the opportunity to respond to Ofgem’s work plan for 2023/24. Overall, we support the continuation of Ofgem’s key programmes of work, and we are pleased to see a continued commitment on helping the energy sector to meet the UK and devolved governments’ Net Zero targets.

This will be an important year for the regulator. A continuing cost of living crisis may push up energy prices even further, leaving more consumers in vulnerable circumstances; retail market failures will continue to be addressed, and price protections beyond the price cap will need to be considered and implemented.

Views on the consumer interest framework

Trade-offs between different energy consumers may unfortunately be necessary in the transforming energy market. Citizens Advice’s approach to making these trade-offs will be on a case-by-case basis, prioritising the needs of the disempowered, on low incomes and in vulnerable situations. However, we support Ofgem’s proposed consumer interest framework, particularly its focus on ensuring fair prices for consumers. More clarity on how these consumer interests interact and how they would be prioritised would be useful.