Topics
Energy Efficiency
The energy retail industry has achieved £1 billion worth of energy saving measures over the last three years through the first Energy Efficiency Commitment. We expect to double these savings over the next three years (2005 – 2008), which will support the Government’s targets to reduce CO2 emissions and achieve carbon savings supporting the Kyoto agreement.
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Fuel Poverty
The Energy Retail Association recognises that fuel poverty is a serious and complicated issue. The industry has committed to spending £700 million over the next three years to help tackle fuel poverty and will continue to work with government and other responsible parties on this issue.
Fuel poverty is caused by a culmination of issues, including energy efficiency of the home, fuel costs, household income, debt and low benefits take-up. The Energy Retail Association is making sure that the industry is doing its part to tackle fuel poverty and support the Government’s UK Fuel Poverty Strategy.
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Customer Billing
Every year 200,000,000 energy bills are sent to people’s homes across the country. The virtual nature of buying electricity and gas means that these bills tend to be the primary point of contact between the customer and his/her energy supplier. Energy suppliers are therefore very aware of the crucial importance of making bills accurate and easy to read. It’s important to remember that the accuracy of bills is dependent on the customer providing regular readings of their electricity and gas meters.
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Sales Practice
The introduction of the Code and the EnergySure Scheme has delivered major improvements in doorstep selling practices in the last two years. The industry is working hard to stamp out all rogue traders while encouraging best practice and high standards in energy selling practices.
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Preventing Disconnection
The ERA set up a Safety Net procedure in 2004 to make sure that no vulnerable customer in Britain is disconnected from their electricity or gas supply. We have kept to our word and we aim to maintain this level of rigorous procedure.
Disconnection is a measure that is used as a last resort, most often when a customer has refused to accept a prepayment meter. All energy suppliers go to great lengths to avoid disconnections. Whilst a sensitive issue, it is imperative that emotion is removed from the debate and that the facts are considered. The ERA believes that there is a place for the sanction of disconnection. The industry must retain its right to disconnect customers who have the means to pay, but put energy bills low on their list of priorities. Disconnection is neither in the interest of customers or energy suppliers, which is why suppliers do not disconnect before every effort is made to contact the customer to allow them to continue their supply.
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Switching Supplier
The ERA is committed to making sure that switching electricity and/or gas supplier is a hassle-free process. We have heavily invested in reviewing and upgrading the current switching process, through the Customer Transfer Programme, and we are confident that the statistics will continue to show a trend of continuous improvement.
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Carbon Monoxide
Our ambition is for zero carbon monoxide related fatalities on a sustainable basis.
The energy retail sector has already achieved the target, set by Government, to reduce avoidable gas related carbon monoxide fatalities by a minimum of 20% by 2010. We are now looking to maintain and improve this downward trend in tackling this serious issue.
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Energy Supply Ombudsman
Since 1st July 2006, a new service has been available to any household in Britain that has a dispute with their energy supplier. If the matter cannot be resolved then they can turn to a new independent body - called the Energy Supply Ombudsman – which can handle issues related to customer bills and switching energy supplier.
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Smart Meters
Smart meters have the potential to revolutionise our energy industry and we welcome the potential they bring. The introduction of smart metering would require a significant change to our existing metering infrastructure and substantial investment to support its sustainability. This is why the Energy Retail Association has set up the Supplier Requirements for Smart Metering (SRSM) project to analyse and deliver an operational framework for smart metering.
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