The G15 Residents’ Group has responded to Ofgem’s consultation on energy consumer outcomes, calling for greater recognition of how housing quality, affordability and climate change affect residents’ experiences of energy services.
The response welcomes Ofgem’s proposed focus on consumer outcomes, while stressing that energy affordability must consider the cost of keeping homes warm in winter and cool during increasingly hot summers.
In its submission, the Group said:
“Many residents tell us that their energy costs are driven as much by the condition and design of their home as by the price of energy itself.”
The response also highlights the additional challenges faced by older people, disabled residents and households with specific health or support needs.
The Group calls for stronger collaboration between the housing and energy sectors, better use of residents’ lived experiences in measuring consumer outcomes and greater consideration of how housing design and energy efficiency affect health, wellbeing and household costs.