UK Energy Ombudsman and Communications Ombudsman: what the data shows

Who runs the two schemes

The Energy Ombudsman says it is a free and impartial service for disputes between consumers and suppliers in the energy sector. It covers heat networks, network operators, Green Deal providers and energy brokers, and businesses can use it ². It is run by Energy Ombudsman Limited ², part of Trust Alliance Group ¹.

The group's Annual Report 2025 describes the energy service as the Supplier Dispute Resolution Scheme, approved by Ofgem. It says the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero was reviewing the service ¹. The same report says Ofcom reapproved the Communications Ombudsman on 8 July 2025 ¹.

The Communications Ombudsman handles mobile, broadband and landline disputes ³. The scheme says the waiting rule applies to disputes with all telecoms providers, whether they are registered with the Communications Ombudsman or with CISAS ⁴.

When a complaint can reach the ombudsman

• Energy: give the provider 8 weeks to put things right, or less if it sends a deadlock letter sooner ².
• Telecoms: complaints first raised on or after 8 April 2026 can go to the scheme after 6 weeks. The scheme says complaints raised before that date in most cases still need 8 weeks ⁴.
• Telecoms: a written deadlock letter lets the consumer go to the scheme at once, if the dispute is within its terms of reference ⁴.
• Energy: if no early offer is accepted, both sides give evidence within 14 days. If the consumer accepts the decision, the supplier has 28 days to carry out the remedy ².
• Communications: if the consumer accepts the decision, the provider has 28 days to carry out the remedy ³.

Energy Ombudsman figures for 2025

The Annual Report 2025 says 99% of energy cases were decided within 56 days. On average 48% of consumers reached the service after being signposted by their supplier, rising from 44% at the end of 2024 to 55% by the end of 2025 ¹. The average remedy was £175, against £176 in 2024 ¹. Final quarter cases were 20,905, up 12% year on year ¹.

Small business energy cases in 2026

The Energy Ombudsman published small business data for January to June 2026 on 27 August 2026. It accepted 7,168 small and microbusiness cases, 3,578 in the first quarter and 3,590 in the second ⁵. Total cases from all customers were 46,532, up from 40,068 in the first half of 2025 ⁵.

Billing made up 62% of business disputes. The service said 55.5% of these cases were signposted by suppliers ⁵. The Energy Ombudsman says the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero extended its small business remit in December 2024 ⁶.

Communications Ombudsman figures and Ofcom data

For 2025 the Communications Ombudsman accepted 25,378 cases, down 19%. It decided 99% within 56 days, and 63% of consumers came through provider signposting ¹. Billing was the top category at 27%. The average remedy was £122, against £107 in 2024 ¹. It can make a financial award of up to £10,000 and cannot issue fines ³.

Ofcom publishes separate quarterly data on complaints it receives itself about landline, fixed broadband, pay-monthly mobile and pay-TV services, per 100,000 customers. Its page was last updated on 30 July 2026 with figures for January to March 2026 ⁷. Ofcom counts complaints to the regulator, and the ombudsman counts disputes it accepts, so the two series measure different things ^1,7.