Citizens Advice response to CCW’s Draft Strategy and Forward Work Programme 2024-25

Citizens Advice response to CCW’s Draft Strategy and Forward Work Programme 2024-25 121 KB

Citizens Advice welcomes the opportunity to respond to CCW’s draft strategy and forward work plan. As the statutory consumer advocate for energy consumers, we note that consumers face many similar challenges in both the energy and water sectors. It’s more than 2 years since the start of the cost of living crisis which rapidly increased the numbers of people in Great Britain who can’t afford their essentials. While inflation levels have fallen from their peak, the evidence is clear that huge numbers of people are still struggling. A priority going forward will need to be finding sustainable solutions to make bills affordable across different markets.

As we transition to net zero, this will require greater investment in infrastructure across the energy system. Mirroring CCW’s work, a priority for Citizens Advice is ensuring that this investment is made in a way that offers good value for consumers. This transition will also depend on behavioural changes from consumers, including adoption of new technologies and engaging with novel services, which is undermined by strong consumer distrust in the energy market. Like CCW, we are working to improve performance and transparency in customer services, drawing on the data and research we have available to us.

Going forward Citizens Advice look forward to sharing relevant insights with CCW as we progress towards our shared goals.