Energy suppliers 'overcharging eight million customers'

Energy suppliers are still taking unnecessarily high direct debit payments from millions of customers each month.

A survey by Which? the consumer group, found that 65 per cent of respondents are in credit with their energy supplier but are still being overcharged. A quarter were owed at least £100 – despite the research taking place in winter, when energy use is normally higher.

Around 12 million households pay for their energy with direct debit, according to Ofgem, suggesting as many as 7.8 million people could be paying too much. Which? says that suppliers are using their customers’ money as “interest-free loans.”

Martyn Hocking of Which? Money said: “It seems incredible that energy companies can take hundreds of pounds more than they need to from their customers, and profit from the interest that this money will earn at our expense.
Which?’s survey also found that energy suppliers are one of the worst industries at delivering customer satisfaction. Npower was deemed the worst energy provider, with a satisfaction score of only 30 per cent. Utility Warehouse achieved the highest customer satisfaction score of 83 per cent.
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