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Energy Default Tariff Cap: Effective Competition Decision

Statement made on 29 October 2021

Statement UIN HLWS344

Statement

My Rt hon Friend the Minister of State for Energy, Clean Growth and Climate Change (Greg Hands) has today made the following statement:

The Domestic Gas and Electricity (Tariff Cap) Act 2018 enables the default tariff (price cap) on standard variable and default energy tariffs to be extended on an annual basis up to end of 2023 at the latest. These annual extensions are dependent on an assessment and statement that I make every year, by 31st October, on whether the conditions for effective competition are in place for domestic supply contracts.

I am confirming today that the price cap mechanism will remain in place for 2022 as the conditions for effective competition are not yet in place for domestic supply contracts.

As required by legislation, the independent energy regulator, Ofgem, has carried out an assessment into whether the conditions are in place for effective competition in domestic supply contracts this year. Ofgem have been transparent in how they made their assessment, and their report is clear and thorough. Ofgem assess that these conditions have not been met and recommend that the price cap mechanism should be extended.

The level of the price cap is a separate matter for Ofgem to determine.

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This statement has also been made in the House of Commons

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
Energy Default Tariff Cap: Effective Competition Decision
Greg Hands
Minister of State for Energy, Clean Growth and Climate Change
Conservative, Chelsea and Fulham
Statement made 29 October 2021
HCWS356
Commons