Fast, frank feedback

What is fast, frank feedback 

The Innovation Hub supports businesses looking to launch new products, services or business models by providing fast, frank feedback. We aim to help you navigate the regulatory framework in order to understand how the rules might impact your idea.

The advice we give is an informal steer from our team rather than an official view from Ofgem, so all our feedback is subject to our legal disclaimer.

What Fast, Frank Feedback can and cannot offer

Fast, frank feedback can:

  • Provide an informal steer on the regulatory implications for your proposition, however this is not a binding response. 
  • Help organisations aiming to introduce an innovative product, service or business model. 
  • Support businesses whose product or service has the prospect of benefitting consumers. 
  • Help businesses of any size and at any stage of development. 
  • Give assistance to organisations who operate, or intend to operate, in Great Britain. 
  • Explore relevant regulation in order to help you navigate the regulatory challenges you may face. 
  • Help you identify regulatory barriers that may affect your business model. 
  • Represent your views when inputting into long term policy development.

Fast, frank feedback cannot:

  • Provide financial assistance or advice. 
  • Act as a substitute for your own due diligence. 
  • Provide a public, commercial endorsement or certification that your product, service or business model is compliant with our regulation. 
  • Advise on eligibility for Government’s environmental incentive schemes that are administered by Ofgem. A list of these programmes can be found here. 
  • Introduce businesses to a specific customer and / or business partner. 
  • Produce a steer as to the possible outcomes of ongoing policy changes and / or developments within industry. 
  • Provide a position statement on Ofgem’s behalf in relation to generic topics such as, but not limited to, blockchain, peer-to-peer trading or virtual private networks.

Eligibility criteria

The service is available to organisations that meet our eligibility criteria: 

  • The proposition must be innovative. 
  • There is a good prospect for consumer benefit. 
  • The innovator can demonstrate a genuine need for support. 
  • Where more bespoke feedback is required, the innovator can show they’ve undertaken a reasonable amount of background research and thinking.

Accessing support

We receive many requests for support which means we must allocate our limited resources in a way that will help as many innovators as possible, whilst still offering a high quality service.

So we can work out how best to help you, please can you complete and return the Fast, Frank Feedback enquiry form to innovationhub@ofgem.gov.uk. 

The form asks for information about who you are, what it is you’re looking to do and what support you need from us. We receive lots of requests for support and this process allows us to manage requests efficiently, effectively and fairly.

Further information on how we use and protect your information is included on the form, and available here.