E.ON Next to pay compensation to half a million customers

E.ON Next has been ordered to pay £5 million compensation to half a million customers for poor customer services, Ofgem has announced.

Ofgem said a review of customer service standards and complaints handling across the energy sector uncovered ‘severe weaknesses’ at E.ON Next, with customers facing long call waiting times and a high level of unanswered calls.

More than 500,000 customers were potentially affected, according to Ofgem. It has ordered E.ON Next to pay £4million to those customers most directly affected, working out at £8 each, and a further £1 million to Ofgem’s voluntary redress fund, which supports vulnerable energy consumers.

E.ON Next is yet to confirm when and how it’ll pay its customers or whether it’ll happen automatically.

Can’t afford to pay your energy bills?

If you’re finding it difficult to pay for your gas and electricity, you should contact your energy provider as they may be able to help you.

It’s possible they might have a hardship fund available for customers who are struggling.

It’s important that you don’t just stop paying your bill. If you don’t speak to you supplier, they might disconnect you.

Energy arrears are classed as a ‘priority debt’. This means you need to pay them before debts like credit cards and loans.

If you’ve fallen behind with your bills or you’re struggling with any repayments, we can help with free debt advice.