Retailers and other small business owners will benefit from new powers to penalise wayward energy companies.

Re-assuring the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) energy minister Gregory Barker MP confirmed that new consumer redress powers in the Energy Bill, would apply to both domestic and non-domestic customers.

 “We in government are keenly aware of the very real issues faced by local shops and other small businesses. It is therefore essential that all consumers, non-domestic and domestic alike, are able to get compensation when energy companies break the rules.

“That is why I am very happy to re-assure the ACS and its members that Consumer Redress Orders, as set out in the Energy Bill, will allow Ofgem to require energy companies to pay compensation when things go wrong, for all consumers, including local shops”.

The ACS has been campaigning strongly for Ofgem to hold energy companies to account when mistreating their customers for several years.

Chief executive James Lowman said he was “delighted” by the news.

“This measure, in addition to Ofgem’s plans to give more protections to small businesses through the Retail Market Review, will go a long way to creating a fairer marketplace for our members and other small businesses in the UK,” he said.

MPs are currently debating the Energy Bill in the House of Commons, with consideration of amendments to be decided in the coming weeks.