ALONE Submission to CRU Call for Evidence on Protecting and Supporting Customers Facing Sustained High Energy Prices (June 2026)
Older people are not a minority group at the edges of the energy market; they are one of the largest demographic groups in the country, and as our population ages, this cohort will continue to grow. Fixed incomes, poor home energy efficiency, digital exclusion, and barriers to engagement mean that sustained high energy prices fall on older people with a force that current regulatory protections do not fully reflect.
Drawing on its experience supporting more than 46,500 older people across its services in 2025, the submission focuses on ensuring that the regulatory framework reflects the needs, vulnerabilities, and lived experiences of older people.
ALONE recommends:
- Improving energy market data and transparency
- Making tariffs clearer and easier to compare
- Strengthening protections for vulnerable customers
- Simplifying and improving energy bills
- Reducing energy poverty by preventing accumulation of debt
- Improving engagement and support for customers in debt
- Protecting customers at contract end and account closure
- Investing in targeted supports to prevent energy poverty
This was submitted to the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU)’s via their Consultation Portal on the 3rd of July, 2026.
