UK energy firms urged to improve service amid rising winter costs

Energy suppliers in the United Kingdom are being urged to improve customer service as households prepare for a challenging winter. The watchdog Citizens Advice warned that firms must “double down” on support for consumers following a 4% increase in the Ofgem price cap, which took effect on October 1. This cap hike raises the average annual bill to £1,723, with analysts predicting an additional 9% increase in January.

According to Citizens Advice, approximately 10 million households—roughly 37% of Britons—are concerned about their ability to pay energy bills this winter. Furthermore, 3.5 million households are currently in energy debt or unable to afford prepayment meter top-ups.

While recent data shows a slight improvement in service metrics, with median scores rising from 3.26 to 3.4 out of five and average call wait times decreasing, the charity cautioned against complacency. Outfox Energy received the highest rating (4.03), while TruEnergy received the lowest (1.38).