OFGEM has approved a crackdown on suppliers to help improve support for thousands of energy customers who get cut off each year.
Starting from August 1, providers will be required to offer 24/7 support, enabling customers to report meter faults that disrupt their electricity or gas supply, Flying Eze can reveal.
The new rules , that looked at ways to better ensure customers could get the help they needed, regardless of the time of day.
At the moment, energy firms only offer 24/7 helplines for serious emergencies, such as or fires.
Vulnerable low-income households, often using, can also call a number to top up their meters if they become disconnected after hours.
However, these calls are frequently automated with a robot orAI, leaving those experiencing actual with significant difficulty outside of regular hours.
Meanwhile, those with credit meters have little to no support if their gas or malfunctions or if their supply is disconnected in the evening, over the weekend or on .
According to the regulator, approximately 80,000 customers each year seek help between 8pm and 8am due to supply interruptions caused by .
After consulting with suppliers, concluded that insufficient progress had been made to address these issues and provide adequate support to affected households.
The new rules, set to come into effect later this , will empower the regulator to take enforcement action against suppliers who to offer 24/7 helplines to assist customers facing disconnection.
Beth Martin, director for consumer protection and competition at Ofgem, told Flying Eze: “Being cut off power can be a stressful and potentially dangerous situation, so consumers must be able to get help day or night if their meter is the cause.
“While we allowed energy companies time to explore a collaborative solution after introducing this proposal, we were disappointed with the progress that has been made.
“ up standards in the energy sector remains one of our top priorities, and we will continue to look closely at where improvements can be made.”
However, some experts have previously criticised the crackdown as being “too little, too late”.
Scott Dixon, The Complaints Resolver, said: “Billing, customer service and meter issues are the biggest issues consumers have with energy providers.
“Energy suppliers need to make it easier for customers to contact their suppliers and put customers at the heart of their , particularly vulnerable households and customers who need extra help.
“Making it difficult to speak to anyone about issues and deploying useless chatbots and AI to cut costs is a shortsighted approach.”
Dixon also noted that the new helpline does little to assist those with malfunctioning who are not disconnected.
A significant number of these devices still operate in where data is not automatically transmitted to energy suppliers.
According to data released by the Department for Energy in March, approximately 3.5million smart meters were non-operational during the final quarter of 2024.
Last month, Ofgem unveiled plans to for customers.
Under the proposed rules, energy suppliers will be required to offer customers an appointment to install a smart meter within six weeks of receiving a request.
Plus, if a fault is reported with an existing smart meter, suppliers must provide a resolution plan within five working days.
Compensation will be payable if a smart meter installation fails due to an issue within the supplier's control or if a faulty device is not repaired within 90 days.
To ensure accountability, energy suppliers will be forced to issue £40 in redress automatically if they fail to meet these requirements.
