'Fix energy back-billing, Standing Charges and more', MPs urge in new report citing Martin and MSE

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More needs to be done to help consumers struggling with energy bills, a cross-party group of MPs has said. The Energy Security and Net Zero (ESNZ) Committee has urged the Government to take action, citing evidence given by MoneySavingExpert.com (MSE) and its founder Martin Lewis...

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'Fix energy back-billing, Standing Charges, broken smart meters and more', MPs urge in new report citing Martin and MSE'

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t0rt0ise

I worry when Martin gets involved because it generally means higher bills for me as the rest of us pay for these nice things, and I can't afford it.

MattMattMattUK

I really wish Martin would stay away from things like this. He might be good on consumer rights and helping people find the best deal for something, however pretty much whenever he gets involved in policy he makes things worse, not better.

There should be no social tariffs, there should be no bill write offs, standing charges should if anything be increased to cover all the fixed costs of a connection. We have a benefits system for those who are unable to provide for themselves, messing with utilities and services creates cliff edges, inefficient market distortions and ultimately does not work effectively. If one wanted to help less well off consumers then focus on benefits, not listening to shouty idiots with no understanding of economics, or people who make a living pandering to shouty idiots.

Chrysalis

He has no choice, Ofgem (aka the government) basically only reacts to bad publicity.  If consumers were left to fend for themselves, all problems would be ignored.  He gets some things wrong, but as a whole he is improving things.  Its very clear at this point Ofgem is a hands off regulator, and will only do the absolute minimum it has to if enough pressure is applied.  This means pressure has to be constantly applied.
I also wouldnt mind clarification on your point about your own bills going up, and why its his fault?  I dont think I have ever seen Martin advocate for policies to be taken out of SC instead of general taxation.

On paying for nice things, do you mean you have paid to fix your own broken smart meter?  I can think of what else you mean.

Do you mean you dont support the most vulnerable people getting help with their energy costs? 

Do you support abusive back billing?  

Do you support having a ADR pretending to be an ombudsman with a 8 week delay.  

Do you support not having a fix target for meters.

Do you support no targets for fixing broken smart meters?

Do you support the lack of enforcement on the rules we have now?

The one action I dont agree with the ease they going to be writing off large amounts of debt, funded by SC.  Cant remember if Martin advocated for that specifically though.

MattMattMattUK

Chrysalis said:

He has no choice, Ofgem (aka the government) basically only reacts to bad publicity.  If consumers were left to fend for themselves, all problems would be ignored.  He gets some things wrong, but as a whole he is improving things.  Its very clear at this point Ofgem is a hands off regulator, and will only do the absolute minimum it has to if enough pressure is applied.  This means pressure has to be constantly applied.
I also wouldnt mind clarification on your point about your own bills going up, and why its his fault?  I dont think I have ever seen Martin advocate for policies to be taken out of SC instead of general taxation.

He has advocated for lower standing charges with those costs covered by "other means", so general taxation. 

Chrysalis said:

On paying for nice things, do you mean you have paid to fix your own broken smart meter?  I can think of what else you mean.

Trying to force suppliers to keep supplying IHDs again and again (the most pointless part of a smart meter system), debt write offs, social tariffs, reduced standing charges etc. 

Chrysalis said:

Do you mean you dont support the most vulnerable people getting help with their energy costs? 

You again attempt to create a straw man. Most people on here are not advocating for vulnerable people or those on low incomes to not get any support, they are arguing that doing it through energy policy is a bad choice. We have a specific system to assist those people, the benefits system, that is the method that should be used, not energy bills.

Chrysalis said:

Do you support abusive back billing?  

Most people who actually know how it works agree with the current back billing system, though there does need to be an amendment to the system where people refuse to register with their supplier, that should stop the clock starting. Apart from that it is generally fine.

Chrysalis said:

Do you support having a ADR pretending to be an ombudsman with a 8 week delay. 

Perfectly reasonable and the system works correctly most of the time. Without the eight week delay from the first complaint the system would become much more expensive because issues that can be resolved before going to the ombudsman would get dragged into that system, clogging it up for those who actually need it. If anyone disagreed with the Ombudsman's decision they still have the choice to use the legal system.

Chrysalis said:

Do you support not having a fix target for meters.

Suppliers are not arguing against this, they are arguing that they should not be held responsible for issues caused by the DCC, a perfectly reasonable position.

Chrysalis said:

Do you support no targets for fixing broken smart meters?

Again, suppliers are saying that it is unfair for them to be held responsible for issues caused by the DCC. It was also unreasonable from the start to ever make them responsible for smart meters. The installation program should have been a compulsory national rollout and for those who do not currently have one that is what should happen now, region by region. The meters should be the responsibility of the network, not the suppliers. 

Chrysalis said:

Do you support the lack of enforcement on the rules we have now?

There is not a lack of enforcement of current rules.

Chrysalis said:

The one action I dont agree with the ease they going to be writing off large amounts of debt, funded by SC.  Cant remember if Martin advocated for that specifically though.

He has, multiple times. 

born_again

https://www.energylivenews.com/2025/10/30/ofgem-500m-energy-bill-debt-to-be-written-off-for-customers/