Energy consumers: ministerial meetings minutes – November 2025

Attendees and apologies

• Màiri McAllan, Cabinet Secretary for Housing, The Scottish Government (SG) (Chair)
• Sam Ghibaldan, Chief Executive, Consumer Scotland
• Andrew Bartlett, Chief Executive, Advice Direct Scotland
• David Hilferty, Director of Impact, Citizens Advice Scotland
• Frazer Scott, Chief Executive, Energy Action Scotland
• Alex Warren, Director of Strategic Development, The Wise Group
• John Downie, Senior Head of Policy and Insight, British Gas Energy Trust
• Matt Cole, Chair of Scottish Fuel Poverty Advisory Panel
• Donna Smith, Chief Executive Officer, Ttighean Innse Gall (TIG)
• Kirsty MacLeod, Energy Advice Manager, TIG
• Ralph Hartley, Policy Officer, The Poverty Alliance Group
• Heather Fisken, Chief Executive Officer, Inclusion Scotland
• Adam Stachura, Associate Director of Policy, Comms and External Affairs, Age Scotland
• Jessica Taplin, Disability Access Ambassador for the Energy Sector, Cabinet Office
• Gordon Morrison, Chair, Scottish Confederation of Park Home Residents Association
• Ned Hammond, Deputy Director Policy, Energy UK
• Sabreena Juneja, Head of Pricing Policy, Ofgem
• Eleanor Morgan, Content and Social Media Manager, Ofgem
• Johan Van Dyke, Senior Public Affairs Manager, Smart Energy GB
• Ed Dodman, Chief Ombudsman
• Ken Cronin, Chief Executive Officer, UKFIDA
• Rhona Peat, Policy and Regulation Director, Scottish Power
• Matt Gardner, Energy Market Regulation Adviser, Octopus Energy
• Dena Barasi, Head of Policy, Regulation and Advocacy, EON Energy
• Zoe Macleod, Associate director, Sustainability First
• Cassandra Dove, Policy Lead, Scottish Federation of Housing Associations
• Jess Niven, Interim Deputy Director for Heat in Buildings Policy and Regulations, SG
• Jake Macdonald, Consumer Policy Team Leader, SG
• Lucia Ramon Mateo, Senior Policy Officer, SG
• Jack Buckley, Policy Officer, SG

Items and actions

Welcome and introductions

The Cabinet Secretary for Housing, Màiri McAllan, welcomed stakeholders and thanked them for their contributions and continued support on energy consumer issues. 

Attendees discussed energy affordability, fuel poverty, and the need for market reform; off-gas grid consumers; and, energy literacy and consumer advice. 

Energy affordability, fuel poverty, and the need for market reform

Ned Hammond, Deputy Director for Customers at Energy UK, provided an overview of the key market reforms prioritised by Energy UK and the progress made by UK Government on their delivery. These included optimising the energy system and targeted investment. 

The group made the following observations:

• investment in a social tariff, in the form of a targeted discount on bills, would have a transformational impact on fuel poor households and must be delivered by UK Government as a matter of urgency 
• the system is in crisis and Ofgem is trying to do too many things. Energy market and regulatory reform must be progressed by the UK Government and Ofgem in a strategic, coherent and coordinated way
• Government and industry should take a strategic approach to debt and affordability and the support provided to households. This must include consideration of cash versus a bill discount with a view to ensuring that support is sustainable and delivers impact
• we need to recognise the higher energy requirements for different consumers, including rural communities, terminally ill and disabled people, to ensure that fuel poverty and energy debt is addressed in a sustainable and holistic manner
• data is critical and UK Government must put in place the conditions to enable data sharing as an immediate priority
• housing associations are working on projects to combine clean heating systems with battery systems to reduce energy costs and support grid flexibility. SG should continue to invest in energy efficiency and clean heating to support these ambitions

Officials will further engage with stakeholders on energy market reform that simplifies the system and addresses affordability and debt sustainably, with a view to pressing the UK Government on a strategic set of asks that will deliver maximum impact.

Off-grid gas communities

Off gas-grid communities face particular challenges that can disadvantage them compared to those with a traditional energy supplier relationship. This includes park home residents sold energy from their park owner and alternative fuel users.

• The Poverty Alliance Group and UKFIDA updated the group on their project to provide credit facilities to alternative fuel users from low-income households. The following observations were made: 
• all fuel users must be equally protected, regardless of their energy source. The market is too complex and support difficult to navigate. UK Government should consider the role of the regulator, underpinning legislation, and Ombudsman, to ensure they are fair and prioritise the consumer rather than industry
• there has been a significant reduction in consumption because people are no longer putting on their heating due to wider cost of living pressures. While bespoke projects are welcomed, a more sustainable long-term plan – that recognises the challenges in the alternative fuel market – is required
• while prices are generally lower than gas and electricity, alternative fuel users still experience affordability and debt challenges. Drawing on data, Consumer organisations, government, and industry should ensure systems are in place to understand the complexity of the situation faced by all consumers when designing interventions

In follow up to this discussion, the Poverty Alliance and UKFIDA will work with SG to understand the successes and challenges of the credit facilities project, including what conditions would be needed to offer nationally.

Energy literacy and consumer advice

Ofgem set the scene and shared an update on their Energy Aware Campaign. The group made the following points:

• the energy market is too complex and must be simplified. We need a system that provides effective advice but does not require consumers to be experts in order to make good choices
• the energy system must be reformed on the basis of trust and empathy, with simple messaging and support available for, and accessible to, all types of consumer
• UK Government must improve access to, and use of, data to allow suppliers and consumer organisations to get the right advice and support – whether financial or otherwise – to consumers
• consumer, housing, and fuel poverty organisations should work collaboratively with government and industry to explore different advice models, centred around working with communities, knowing the customer, and providing the right support
• messaging needs to be consistent across different organisations to ensure all consumers are getting the right message and, importantly, the right support

SG will facilitate engagement between energy suppliers, Ofgem, advice organisations, Consumer Scotland and disables people’s organisations to explore how we can make short term progress on the issues raised, notably people-centred advice and enhanced the support for disabled consumers and people in vulnerable circumstances.

Close 

The Cabinet Secretary thanked all attendees for their contributions and closed the meeting.