OVO Energy customers to be hit with new monthly fee within weeks

OVO Energy is set to introduce a new monthly fee for customers in a move which MPs are concerned will affect older people. The energy firm - which has more than four million customers in the UK - will start charging a monthly £1.50 fee to customers who want paper bills.

The charge will begin in December, which means that it will cost £18 a year if you want to continue to receive bills in paper format. OVO said it will write to its customers who still receive paper statements to tell them about the change before the rollout in December.

MPs have said they are concerned for OVO's older customers. But elderly customers can sign up for OVO's priority services register to avoid the charge.

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OVO said it people they believe should be on the priority services register will also be exempt, Express reports. A letter will be sent to customers, which will include a QR code.

Customers can scan the code and opt in to receive paperless billing from December - meaning they will avoid the new charge. Some MPS have called on OVO to reverse its decision.

On November 6, MPs tabled a motion in the House of Commons about OVO Energy. It was signed by 16 Lib Dems, two independent MPs and a Labour MP.

It said: "That this House notes with concern OVO Energy’s intention to introduce monthly fees for customers that receive their bills in paper format from December; believes that such a fee is counterproductive as families continue to struggle with high energy costs, particularly in the run-up to winter; further notes that such a change risks disadvantaging older and other vulnerable people, even allowing for planned mitigations; and calls on OVO Energy to reverse this harmful and unnecessary decision immediately."

In response, a spokesperson for OVO said: "Like most energy providers, we already send digital communications to most customers. We still offer paper communications to anyone on the priority services register, those who receive adapted communications, and anyone needing additional financial support."

Vulnerable customers who will not be charged even if they continue to receive paper bills include those on the priority services register or those who OVO think should be on the register, those who have adaptive communications and customers who may be financially vulnerable. Instead, these customers will be offered a PDF of their bill.