News Ofgem urges energy firms to pass price cuts on to customers STEFANIE LEUKER / SHUTTERSTOCK Energy firms have come under scrutiny from regulators in recent months, with wholesale prices hitting a five-year low, but customers seeing little of this saving. The wholesale price of gas fell by 34 per cent in 2015, and electricity by23per cent, according to the recent ICIS Power Index. However, of the big six energy suppliers, only British Gas passed on a slight saving of fiveper cent to its customers last year. Consumer groups, watchdogs and regulators have since renewed calls on energy companies to reduce their tariffs. So far E.ON and SSE have stepped forward this year, with a five per cent cut to its domestic gas tariffs. Dermot Nolan, chief executive of national regulator, Ofgem, said: This is a step in the right direction and it is good to see some movement in energy prices for consumers. We have consistently called on suppliers to explain why retail prices are not falling and this price cut goes some way towards addressing that challenge. This is not the first time that competition in the energy sector has attracted attention. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), following recommendations by Ofgem last year, has been investigating theenergy sector and is expected to release its findings in the first quarter of this year. In a statement issued by Energy UK, the representative body of Britains energy industry chief executive, Lawrence Slade said that wholesale prices make up less than half of the average bill so there will always be a difference between wholesale price falls and what customers actually pay. E.ON has used the same argument to defend its recent minimal decrease. A recent Which? energy company satisfaction survey found that just 10 per cent of customers had switched energy provider in the past year. Richard Lloyd, executive director of the consumer champion, said: More has to be done to make pricing fair, switching easier, and to ensure the most vulnerable are protected. Dignity Action Day 2016 Protecting citizens, particularly those who are most vulnerable, is at the heart of trading standards commitment to consumers. Many vulnerable people access care services and will interact with Dignity Action Day on 1 February 2016. The event demonstrates how everyone in the community has a role to play in upholding dignity in care, and ensuring that people who access such services are treated as individuals, and are given choice and control in their daily lives. Around 200 activities were registered for last years event, which is aimed at offering respect to care-users. Supporting those most vulnerable in a number of ways lowers the risk of them falling prey to scams or doorstep crime. Interact on twitter with #DAD16. UK charity fundraising gets last chance to self-regulate MPs call for fairer online delivery charges MPs have tabled an Early Day Motion calling for equality in the charging and service of delivery of goods bought online across the UK. The motion asks the government to bring forward legislative proposals for a Peoples Delivery Guarantee, to introduce a recognised fair delivery quality mark for responsible retailers. MPs believe this would put an end to the practice of adding higher charges for specific postcodes. They have asked that the guarantee includes the right for consumers to specify delivery by Royal Mail, or to arrange their own collection, if this is the cheapest delivery option. Tabled by Drew Hendry, the motion had 31 signatures at the time of writing. A government review into UK charities activities has recommended anew regime and regulator of fundraising as a last chance for self-regulation in the sector. The Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committees (PACACs) report into the regulation of charity fundraising urges charity trustees to expand their governance to fundraising activities. Italso states that no system of regulation can be a substitute for effective governance by trustees. The report also supported the Etherington proposals, published last summer, which included the establishment of a new regulator for the charity fundraising sector although it recommended that these be pushed further and that the new regulator be made accountable to the Charity Commission. Allegations of unethical fundraising activities were reported across the press in summer 2015 and, in response, the government set up the Etherington Review, which also recommended a reformed code of practice. Although its proposals still constitute self-regulation, the new regulator would have powers to intervene and regulate. The reviews findings were accepted by the government. Trust in charities sank to an eight-year low last summer after news broke of the death of Olive Cooke, a 92-year old woman who had been harassed by charity fundraising mail-outs. The Fundraising Standards Board (FRSB) published its investigation into the matter recently and reviewed evidence from almost 1,500 charities. At its peak, more than 460 mailings a year were being sent to Cooke equivalent to about eight or nine a week. The FRSB received hundreds of related complaints, which highlighted that people feeling under pressure from donation requests is a widespread problem in the UK charity sector. The investigation also found that charities offered insufficient opt-out procedures and had exchanged details of donors with other charities and third parties.