The Utility Regulator has published the results of the second Domestic Consumer Insight Tracker survey. We intend to repeat this research annually to gain ongoing insight into consumer experiences of the energy sector. This research is vitally important to our work and allows us to measure and track the experiences of domestic consumers in the energy market over time. We also use the results to directly inform our regulatory policies and consumer protection work.
The current survey was carried out between October and November 2021 with a representative sample of over 1500 domestic consumers in Northern Ireland.
Some key headline findings are:
- Monthly spend on electricity has increased since the 2019 survey with the majority of households spending between £60-£99 per month.
- 34% of electricity consumers and 28% of gas consumers reported they have reduced their usage in the previous year.
- 4% of electricity and 3% of gas consumers say they have gone without other essentials to pay for their energy at least once in the previous year.
- Awareness of support services for vulnerable consumers has decreased since the 2019 survey.
Our infographic summarises the key findings of the survey. We have also published the full report.
The energy market is changing rapidly and therefore repeating this survey annually will ensure timely identification of the main issues facing consumers.