Electricity Bills: Standing Charges
Tuesday, 4 February 2025
Contributions
Victoria Collins (Harpenden and Berkhamsted) (LD)Liberal Democrat
13. What assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of recent trends in levels of standing charges for electricity bills.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero (Miatta Fahnbulleh)Labour (Co-op)
We know that people are frustrated with standing charges, and we are committed as a Government to reducing them. As an initial step, the regulator Ofgem is consulting on giving people the option of no standing charge tariffs within the price cap, and we will continue to work with the regulator to ensure that we lower standing charges in the fairest way possible.
Lesley from Tring is one of my constituents who just missed out on the winter fuel allowance. She said she will be “spending most of the winter in bed” because she is struggling with energy costs. While so many are struggling with the cost of energy, standing charges disproportionately affect those on lower incomes such as Lesley. Will the Government meet Ofgem to discuss those disparities and prepare detailed action to review standing charges for a fairer system?
I am sorry to hear about the case of Lesley, and I know there are people across the country who have this frustration with standing charges. I reassure the House that we have a commitment to reducing them. We are working with Ofgem on a set of options. Our challenge is to ensure that standing charges do not penalise some households and that they are as fair as possible. That is what we are committed to doing, and that is what we are working every day to deliver.
Source: UK Parliament Hansard API. Debate ID: 4829911.