Tag Archives: S. Littlechild

Journal Articles: Trilogy by S. Littlechild, Utilities Policy, Vol 73, December 2021

Utilities Policy, Volume 73, December 2021, contains a Special Issue on the Liittlechild Trilogy. These are three articles by Stephen Littlechild on the theme of Exploring customer satisfaction in the GB retail energy sector. The first two describe the use of the Trustpilot customer review site, particularly by GB energy suppliers, and the third calculates… Continue Reading

Presentation “Some issues in the UK retail energy market” by S. Littlechild

Stephen Littlechild gave a presentation “Some issues in the UK retail energy market” on 2 June 2021. Stephen discussed the impacts of the tariff cap, including some developments in supplier pricing policies. He put some arguments for removing the cap, facilitated by a transition away from it, and discussed developments in the Overall Customer Satisfaction… Continue Reading

Article “Developments in the Overall Customer Satisfaction League” by S. Littlechild

Stephen Littlechild published an article “Developments in the Overall Customer Satisfaction League” in Cornwall Insight Energy Spectrum, Issue 745, on 18 January 2021. You can read the article here Updated calculations from 25 February 2021 can be viewed here , from April 2021 here, from May 2021 here, from June 2021 here, from September 2021 here,… Continue Reading

Article “Ofgem’s customer complaints – Is anyone listening?” by S. Littlechild

Stephen Littlechild published an article “Ofgem’s customer complaints – Is anyone listening?” in Utility Week on 31 July 2020. In this article Stephen Littlechild asks whether it is worthwhile requiring energy retailers to publish quarterly complaints statistics when there are questions over both its consistency and actual value. To read the article on Utilty Week… Continue Reading

Report “Replacing the tariff caps and protecting vulnerable customers by harnessing the competitive process” by S. Littlechild

In this recent report Stephen Littlechild suggests that a replacement for the tariff caps should be a competitive process to determine whether a price to particular vulnerable customers is excessive, and if so to facilitate a voluntary price adjustment or negotiated transfer of customers to another supplier | PDF Continue Reading

S. Littlechild latest submission to CMA

Stephen Littlechild has responded to the CMA’s invitation to comment on its Provisional Decision in its Review of the Prepayment Charges Restriction Order 2016. His response “Why so hasty?” argues against the CMA’s recommendation that Ofgem should extend the duration of the price cap, and suggests instead that Ofgem should be encouraged to review the… Continue Reading

Report “Savings available in the retail energy market and the Overall Customer Service score” by S. Littlechild

In his recent report Stephen Littlechild finds that some of the savings apparently available in the retail energy market are questionable, and suggests the calculation of an Overall Customer Service score to inform customers who are considering changing supplier | PDF Continue Reading

S. Littlechild latest submission to CMA

Stephen Littlechild has responded to the CMA’s invitation to comment on its proposed review of the Prepayment Charges Restriction Order 2016. In his response “Providing for a transition back to a competitive retail energy market” he suggests that the CMA phase out the prepayment meter tariff cap by December 2020 rather than leave a “cliff… Continue Reading

Report “Is there competition below the PPM tariff cap? What are the implications for policy?” by S. Littlechild

Stephen Littlechild wrote a report “Is there competition below the PPM tariff cap? What are the implications for policy?” This paper finds that the range of tariff offers that are widely available and significantly below the Prepayment Meter tariff cap is much less than first appears. It suggests various implications for policy relating to accuracy of information, setting… Continue Reading

S. Littlechild latest submission to CMA

Stephen Littlechild has made a further submission to the CMA investigation of the SSE-Npower merger, suggesting that divestment to smaller suppliers of some 740,000 long-standing Npower domestic energy customers on Standard Variable Tariffs would address the CMA’s recently identified theory of harm associated with a loss of rivalry in the setting of default tariff prices | PDF… Continue Reading

Comment “Competition, Regulation and Price Controls in the GB Retail Energy Market” by S. Littlechild

Stephen Littlechild’s paper “Competition, Regulation and Price Controls in the GB Retail Energy Market” is a revised and updated version of his July 2017 lead article in Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) Network, which summarises and appraises the last decade of UK retail energy market regulation. The revised paper has been submitted to Utilities Policy. The full text can be found here The… Continue Reading

S. Littlechild latest submission to CMA

Stephen Littlechild has made a submission to the CMA investigation of the SSE-Npower merger, suggesting that the two companies agree to divest long-standing customers on Standard Variable Tariffs to smaller suppliers in the domestic energy market. He identifies ten respects in which this would increase competition, which is particularly important in present circumstances | PDF… Continue Reading