Consumer protection scheme extended to 2028 as Ofgem timetable for compensation rules slips

Heat Trust – the national consumer champion for people living on heat networks – has extended its consumer protection scheme to March 2028, following a recent consultation.

The Heat Trust Scheme is an independent not-for-profit consumer protection scheme for heat network providers that sets minimum guaranteed standards of customer service and consumer protection. This includes the right to compensation for longer supply outages and access to the Energy Ombudsman.

The scheme was due to end on 26 January 2027, when full statutory protections for heat network customers had been expected to be in place after Ofgem took over as the regulator for the sector in January 2026.

However, Ofgem’s timetable for introducing Guaranteed Standards of Performance (GSOP) for all heat networks has slipped considerably, with a consultation on its future proposals expected later this year.

Heat Trust recently consulted on a scheme rule change to facilitate an extension of the scheme, a change which has now been made.

As a result of the extension, almost 100,000 households on registered sites will keep their right to compensation for supply outages that would otherwise have been at risk.

Around 12,000 households in vulnerable circumstances will also keep their protection requiring alternative heating to be provided within 12 hours of an outage.

Stephen Knight, Chief Executive of Heat Trust, said:

“Heat networks have an important role to play in delivering lower-carbon heat, but that transition will only work if consumers have confidence that they are properly protected.

“It is unfortunate that Ofgem’s statutory Guaranteed Standards of Performance won’t be in place next year, as originally intended, but we are determined that consumers currently protected by our scheme will not lose these key protections because of this delay.

Ofgem became the statutory regulator for heat networks in January 2026, beginning a transition from the independent Heat Trust Scheme to statutory regulation.

All heat suppliers are due to be registered with Ofgem by 26^th January 2027, with Heat Trust continuing to operate during the transition to help maintain continuity of consumer protections.

As Ofgem plans for Guaranteed Standards of Performance (GSOP) are yet to progress, Heat Trust’s decision to extend its Scheme will ensure that consumers on its registered sites will not lose out on these key protections.

The Scheme Extension Decision notice can be found here.

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