Research by Which? shows that 98% of people want their supplier to notify them ahead of price rises while 95% think their supplier should notify them when a cheaper tariff becomes available. What's more, eight in ten agree that new tariffs should be fixed for a certain period.

On Friday, Ofgem published the latest stage in its probe into the UK energy markets. Which? has consistently called for simpler bills and minimum standards for tariffs, of which there are currently more than 4,000 available to UK consumers.

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Which? Senior Policy Adviser, Dr Fiona Cochrane, said: "At long last, Ofgem has responded to consumers' concerns about complex bills. Yet, despite recognising that tariffs are confusing, Ofgem has failed to take action on this front. We need minimum standards for tariffs so consumers can make meaningful comparisons between the thousands that are available and find the best deal for them.

"Surely it's not unreasonable for people to be warned in advance of price increases or for their new tariff to be guaranteed for at least the time it takes to switch supplier? If Ofgem won't address this, the Government must step in."

(CD/JM)