Money Wellness
Image shows electricity wires having been brought down by a tree in a storm
category iconmoney booster
calendar icon01 Sep 2023

Households losing power in bad weather set to receive greater compensation

The amount of compensation households get when they lose power in severe weather has been increased to £2,000 by Ofgem.

The energy regulator has upped the maximum payment from £700 following its review of the response to Storm Arwen by distribution network operators – the companies responsible for linking up homes to the electricity network operators (DNO).

Storm Arwen battered the UK with 100mph winds and rain in 2021, causing at least three fatalities and leaving one million homes without power, with some having to wait over ten days to be reconnected.

At the time Ofgem said that households were left without power for an unacceptable amount of time and received poor communication from their network operator, resulting in almost £30 million compensation being paid out.

As part of the review, the length of time households have to wait for additional compensation has also been reduced from 12 hours to 6 depending on the severity of the storm – with payment coming within 24 hours for a category one and 48 hours for a category two. It has also completely done away with category three.

The changes mean more customers will be entitled to higher levels of compensation that better reflect the impact having power cut off for extended periods has on a household.

Any DNOs who fail to follow the new rules could face multi-million-pound fines.

Avatar of Caroline Chell

Caroline Chell

Caroline has worked in financial communications for more than 10 years, writing content on subjects such as pensions, mortgages, loans and credit cards, as well as stockbroking and investment advice.

Related posts

cost of living

07 Oct 2024

How to get a free electric blanket this winter

Support from OVO Energy and Octopus Energy

money booster

15 Jul 2024

7 no-spend ideas to help you through the rest of the month if you celebrated too hard during the Euros

Football didn't come home last night but millions of fans still helped boost the economy. If you overspent celebrating our top seven no spend hacks might come in handy for the rest of the month

money booster

04 Jul 2024

How to sell pre-loved clothes online

Top tips on selling your clothes on the main second-hand sites.