Wrexham Energy Switching Service

Descriptions

As part of our commitment to promoting affordable warmth, Wrexham Council wants to make it as easy as possible for households across the County Borough to benefit from the financial benefits of switching their energy supplier on a regular basis.We are seeking a partner to provide an energy switching service for households across the County Borough. The objective of this project is to ensure as many households as possible have the opportunity to move to a better energy tariff and deal, to raise understanding and awareness of the benefits of switching and to promote energy efficiency awareness more broadly.Project pilotInitially this project is seeking a partner to support Council tenants through the energy switching processes step by step so that they will save money on their electricity and gas bills and reduce fuel poverty by being on the most appropriate tariff to them.This notice is for a pilot area only. The minimum pilot size will be for 500 WCBC houses across a defined geographic area to be agreed. The timescale for the successful completion of the pilot is to be agreed through negotiation.On completion and evaluation of the pilot WCBC may then seek to widen the scope covered by energy switching partner to support more Council tenants, and in the long term extend the support process to cover the private rented sector and owner occupied households across the County Borough.The energy switching partner should:•Contact the identified households in the pilot area following initial written contact by WCBC to provide them with information and to help guide them through the switching process to a supplier that can offer a better deal.•Tenants should be contacted no more than 3 times by telephone after which they should be removed from the pilot.•Provide information and support to raise tenant awareness of energy switching as well as provide assistance to tenants who wish to change their energy supplier•Not have any preferred suppliers unless there is a valid prior reason which shows that the tenants will be at an advantage, and that this is agreed beforehand with WCBC.•Focus on switching tenants on prepayment meters as well as standard credit meters. The number of tenants on prepayment meters and standard credit meters should be determined before the pilot so that prepayment meter customers can be targeted in the first instance.•Not switch tenants that are eligible for the Warm Home Discount unless they can continue to receive the Discount. Information on Warm Home Discount should be given to tenants who are eligible but do not currently claim the Discount.•Use an impartial energy switching mechanism which is Ofgem Confidence Code accredited.•Carry out the day to day running and management of the pilot following initial input and tenant information from WCBC.•Provide training and briefing sessions for frontline staff in regular contact with tenants in the pilot area on the switching service benefits and fuel poverty and establish a referral mechanism for these staff.•Attend and promote the energy switching service at community events and engage with community champions.•Assess the feasibility of setting up a referral system to provide an energy switching service for new tenants which could be trialled during the pilot•Provide a web link to an energy switching comparison site with a WCBC specific web page•Issue joint marketing material with WCBC•Provide regular updates to the nominated point of contact within WCBC and provide an evaluation report following the completion of the pilot•Demonstrate that the advice they provide is unbiased•Collect additional key performance indicators on behalf of the local authority•There will be no charge to WCBC from the energy switching partner for providing this service.•The commission collected by the energy switching partner should be the same rate for all energy suppliers, so as to demonstrate impartiality.•In line with Welsh Government objectives, WCBC has a no cold calling policy. Breach of this policy would mean termination of the agreement. Mechanisms should also be in place to prevent mis-selling. Also tenants have the right to refuse the energy switching service and should not be pressurised into taking up the service.WCBC will:•Provide the energy switching partner with a single point of contact who will provide the WCBC household data needed on a timely basis and in a format to be agreed.•Write to the households identified in the pilot area to explain to householders that they will be contacted by an approved partner of the Council.•Provide a clear point of contact should a tenant wish to verify the energy switching partner•Work with the energy switching partner to ensure the success of the pilotIf you are interested in providing this service please contact WCBC via the contact details provided, outlining your proposals.NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Sell2Wales Web Site at http://www.sell2wales.gov.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=17228.