Martin Lewis responds to Public Accounts Committee report on energy, water and broadband regulation

On Friday 11 September, the Public Accounts Committee published its report following their inquiry into the regulation of water, energy and broadband markets, which MoneySavingExpert.com founder, Martin Lewis, gave evidence to on 30th June 2026.

The Committee found that water, energy and broadband regulators are not doing enough to support vulnerable customers, and calls on Ofwat, Ofgem and Ofcom to act more urgently to ensure people get the standard of service they deserve.

Martin Lewis, founder of MoneySavingExpert and the Money & Mental Health Policy Institute charity, who was an expert witness in the Public Accounts Committee’s inquiry into the regulation of water, energy and broadband markets says:

“As well as overpaying…too many people are being let down in regulated industries that are supposed to protect them. Firms seem to rely on tick-box exercises to help lower prices and ease burdens on the vulnerable - so they can say they’ve done them - but in a way that’s complex, confusing, under-communicated and leaves the burden on the struggling individual to help themselves. All in all, it means most people don't get the help that's available.

“The evidence session at the powerful Public Accounts Committee seems to have done its job, and the committee has taken much of what we said on board. Hopefully its intervention can help make the language used plain English, ensure discounted social tariffs are properly publicised and stop vulnerable individuals from having to painfully divulge their personal situation multiple times. This would be a great start in improving things.”

“Of course, there’s more that could be done, including stopping mid-contract mobile and broadband price hikes and having a single water social tariff so it’s not a postcode lottery - but overall, this is a good outcome.”

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