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, energy providers will be required to offer 24/7 support, enabling customers to report meter faults that disrupt their electricity or gas supply, The Sun can reveal.
The new rules follow a consultation, first launched in November 2024, 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 gas leaks or fires.
Vulnerable low-income households, often using prepayment meters, 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 or AI, leaving those experiencing actual technical faults with significant difficulty outside of regular hours.
Meanwhile, those with credit meters have little to no support if their gas or electricity meter malfunctions or if their supply is disconnected in the evening, over the weekend or on bank holidays.
According to the regulator, approximately 80,000 customers each year seek help between 8pm and 8am due to supply interruptions caused by meter faults.
After consulting with suppliers, Ofgem 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 summer, will empower the regulator to take enforcement action against suppliers who fail to offer 24/7 helplines to assist customers facing disconnection.
Beth Martin, director for consumer protection and competition at Ofgem, told The Sun: "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.
"Driving 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 consumer rights 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 business, 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 smart meters who are not disconnected.
A significant number of these devices still operate in "dummy mode", 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.
There's a number of different ways to get help paying your energy bills if you're struggling to get by.
If you fall into debt, you can always approach your supplier to see if they can put you on a repayment plan before putting you on a prepayment meter.
This involves paying off what you owe in instalments over a set period.
If your supplier offers you a repayment plan you don't think you can afford, speak to them again to see if you can negotiate a better deal.
Several energy firms have schemes available to customers struggling to cover their bills.
But eligibility criteria vary depending on the supplier and the amount you can get depends on your financial circumstances.
For example, British Gas or Scottish Gas customers struggling to pay their energy bills can get grants worth up to £2,000.
British Gas also offers help via its British Gas Energy Trust and Individuals Family Fund.
You don't need to be a British Gas customer to apply for the second fund.
EDF, E.ON, Octopus Energy and Scottish Power all offer grants to struggling customers too.
Thousands of vulnerable households are missing out on extra help and protections by not signing up to the Priority Services Register (PSR).
The service helps support vulnerable households, such as those who are elderly or ill.
Some of the perks include being given advance warning of blackouts, free gas safety checks and extra support if you're struggling.
Get in touch with your energy firm to see if you can apply.
Last month, Ofgem unveiled plans to implement new rules aimed at raising smart meter standards and improving compensation 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.
SIMILAR to financial services firms, energy companies have to have a complaints procedure for customers to follow.
When you make a complaint, follow this procedure so they have the information they need to resolve the issue.
Explain the problem and what you want your supplier to do about it.
Check your energy supplier's website for an explanation of how to launch a complaint.
Energy suppliers have eight weeks to respond and come to a decision.
If it doesn't or you're unhappy with the response, you can take the firm to the Energy Ombudsman.
The Energy Ombudsman may be able to help if you have a complaint about an energy or communications provider.
Before submitting your complaint to it, you must have logged a formal complaint with your provider and worked with the firm to resolve it.
You must also have received a so-called deadlock letter, where the provider refers your complaint to the Energy Ombudsman.
You can also complain if you haven't had a satisfactory solution to your problem within eight weeks.
The Energy Ombudsman then bases its decision on the evidence you and the company submit.
If you choose to accept its decision, your supplier then has 28 days to comply.
The Ombudsman's decisions are binding on the energy company.
If your supplier refuses to follow the instructions, the Ombudsman may contact Ofgem to remedy the situation, but there's no set period for escalating issues to the regulator, and it's not up to the customer.
If an individual chooses not to accept the Ombudsman's final decision, they lose the right to the resolution offer.
Customers still have the right to take their complaint further through the courts.
But remember, this can be a costly and lengthy exercise, so it's worth thinking carefully before taking this step.
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