New customer protection measures from the CRU - Niall Boylan Show

With energy prices at an all-time high, customers who may be experiencing financial difficulty will perhaps be those affected the most.

That's why the Commission for Regulation of Utilities has recently announced new protections for energy customers for this winter.

Our Head of Communications, Daragh Cassidy joined Niall Boylan on Classic Hits to discuss the measures, what they are, and who they will help.

You can listen to the interview in full by simply clicking the play button above. You can also find a summary of the key takeaways from the interview outlined below. 

Key points from the interview

CRU measures

The CRU, Ireland’s independent energy regulator, has announced a range of measures to help consumers cope with the ongoing energy crisis. These include:

• Placing a moratorium on gas and electricity disconnections this winter.
• Introducing a new minimum timeline for debt repayments from November two for years, meaning customers won’t get cut off during this time period.
• Energy suppliers will have to put those on financial hardship meters on the cheapest tariffs available from 1st December.
• You can learn more about the new measures announced in our article here.

Government measures

While the measures are welcome, it does seem like a sticking plaster on the current problem of high energy costs. 

• Energy prices have already increased on average by around €1,500 and may increase again by another few hundred. 
• The Government profits off increases as VAT is levied on the net price of goods and services. There is a temporary rate of VAT at 9% at the moment, which is due to increase again to 13.5% in October.
• The Government could possibly cut the VAT further on energy bills.

Switch and save on your energy bills

With our free energy comparison service, you can find the best value gas and electricity deals on the market from Ireland’s leading suppliers in seconds. 

To discover simple ways to lower your energy bills check out our article on 15 ways to reduce your electricity usage at home and 10 ways to heat your house for less. 

Get in touch

Let us know what you think of the CRU’s measures. Get in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.