Ben Saltmarsh

@bensaltmarsh.bsky.social

Head of Wales for National Energy Action

The energy price cap will fall from 1 April. Average bills (paid by Direct Debit) will cost £1,641/yr. A fall is v. welcome. It takes a bit of pressure off. But only *a bit*. Not long ago, average bills were around £1000/yr. For many families, that now feels like a different era.

Ofgem@ofgem.gov.uk · 6mo ago

The quarterly energy price cap will fall by 6.6% from 1 April 2026.  This will be a decrease of around £10 per month for the average household. This is a cap on energy unit price plus standing charge, not a cap on total bills.  More ⬇️  https://ow.ly/mlhq50YlIcn

The price cap will fall by 6.6% from 1 April 2026.  

This will be a decrease of around £10 per month for an average household on a supplier's standard default tariff.

'It is a relief that it will now go to so many more pension-age households who really need it.' Our Head of Policy Matt Copeland responds to news that over 75% of pensioners will now get the Winter Fuel Payment.

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ICYMI: Eight suppliers have committed to pay £18.6m in compensation and debt write off following the scandal of forced prepayment meter installations. Sits alongside stricter standards introduced by Ofgem following concerted pressure from many at the time, incl. a welcome Senedd Committee inquiry.

'A short fall from a great height.' Energy bills to decrease for first time in a year from July, down 7%, and roughly back to January's levels. Welcome. Yet still out of reach for so many. Lots of whom find themselves saddled with crushing levels of energy debt, after four years of pain.

National Energy Action@nea.org.uk · last yr.

'This is a short fall from a great height.' Our Chief Executive Adam Scorer welcomes the 7% fall in the cost of energy bills but says that government needs to do more to provide deeper energy bill support and help people out of debt.

Wonderful to see lots of friendly faces at our North Wales Fuel Poverty Forum this morning with Ofgem and Charis Grants. Thanks to all who shared their insights into vulnerability, debt and what additional support is needed to help those in difficulty.

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Third price cap rise in a row. Up 10% in October. 1% in January. 6% in April. The cost of energy remains stubbornly high - far beyond pre-crisis levels - and out of reach of thousands of the poorest households in Wales.

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'It should not fall to a charity like us to address the failings of government schemes and commercial firms' - our Chief Executive Adam Scorer on the damage failed retrofit schemes can do and why we stepped in to help householders in Preston.(1/2)

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Long-awaited consultation on new PRS MEES across England and Wales. Some of the leakiest homes, occupied by some of the most vulnerable households. UK Govt proposing EPC C by 2030 (up from E), with landlords spending up to max. cap of £15k (or £10k if eligible for affordability exemption).

National Energy Action@nea.org.uk · 2y ago

'The UK government must now seize the opportunity', @adamscorer.bsky.social responds to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero announcing a new fuel poverty strategy and a consultation on new energy efficiency standards in the private rented sector across England and Wales.

Bad news. The predictions for what'll happen to the energy price cap in April keep rising. EDF now predicted Ofgem will increase it by 3.3% rise, British Gas predicts 5%, Eon Next predicts 5.7%. We're only a couple of weeks from the assessment period's end. So that means it's getting pretty firm

This is good news. Payments to help cover the cost of off-gas fuels have been uplifted under the Welsh Government's Discretionary Assistance Fund. Up to £500 for oil or three payments of £82.50 for LPG/ bottled gas.

Ofgem had said it was minded to reduce high standing charges from April. It will not be. An issue that became a matter of remarkable public interest - so much so that tens of thousands of consumers responded to Ofgem's call - will now be the subject of another consultation.

National Energy Action@nea.org.uk · 2y ago

Energy regulator Ofgem has confirmed, following a year of consultation, that it will not be lowering the level of the standing charge from April.