Switching of household energy providers by consumers has surpassed 400,000 for the third month in a row, with 438,166 switches in April. This brings the number of switches for year to date to over 1.5 million.
April figures show the number of switches to small and mid-tier suppliers has remained consistent with 43% of switches last month.
Lawrence Slade, Chief Executive of Energy UK, said: “It is great to see electricity switching is becoming more common practice among customers, with switching once again surpassing 400,000.
This shows customers are taking advantage of the number of deals on offer from the 40 suppliers in the market, as they continue to fight for customers.”
“Customers should feel confident switching as suppliers have worked hard to ensure the process is hassle-free for all.”
LAWRENCE SLADE is one of the keynote speakers at SCOTLAND’S RENEWABLE FUTURE conference being held on 26 May 2016 at the Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Innovation.
For full programme and booking information: http://www.scotlandsrenewablefuture.co.uk/
The ‘rises like rockets, but falls like a leaf’ issue of consumer trust is driving the consumer stampede away from the UK’s ‘legacy energy providers’ since the Tory-led privatisation of Britain’s electricity supply industry, with a number of the new, independent providers entering the market.
The issues of Big Six brand-trust (or not) – along with new technology, demand-side management and renewables continue to dominate the change-agenda in the energy generation and supply industries as consumers vote with the energy suppliers over shoddy and unreliable services.
See also: OFGEM fines Scottish Power £18m after IT blunders result in shoddy customer service
See also: Ofgem slams Scottish & Southern Energy with fine of £750,000 for second offence in sloppy customer service
Pixie Energy is an incubator and a facilitator of strategic research and project work, focusing on energy regulation, policy and markets at the local and national level. Find out more about Pixie Energy