It has recently been confirmed the
Energy Saving Trust are to continue to oversee the management and share of Energy Redress Scheme payments following a renewal of its agreement by the UK’s energy regulator
OFGEM.
Since 2018, the
Energy Saving Trust (EST) has been managing this Redress scheme. The renewed agreement will allow them to continue their efforts until February 2024, with the option to continue for a further two years until 2026.
OFGEM’s
enforcement and compliance activity collects voluntary payments from companies that may have breached rules and levels of service as declared by the regulator themselves. The
Energy Redress Scheme then gives out these funds to local and national projects who support customers at risk from high energy bills and help reduce carbon emissions.
Since the programme launch in 2018, the Energy Redress Scheme has awarded over £40 Million to fund over 300 projects across the UK - This has directly supported over 180,000 households.
At the time of writing, the
Scheme is set to re-open, offering funding to community energy groups, including community interest groups, co-operative societies, and similar organisations. This includes registered charities who could previously
apply to the scheme.
This will allow more vulnerable households to save energy and money overall, through projects that advise better tariffs, discount applications, debt write-off, benefits applications, small energy saving interventions, as well as offer suitable energy saving advice and community carbon reduction activities.
For
groups interested in finding out more on the scheme and how to apply, visit the Energy Redress
Scheme website.