This is your opportunity to help shape the direction of the programmes, services, and strategic priorities that support the retail energy market. Whether you’re a supplier, network operator, consumer advocate, third-party intermediary, or other market participant, your insights will ensure our future plan reflects what really matters to the market and to end consumers.
Building on a strong foundation
The next cycle of the FWP will build on our 2025–28 foundations, which focused on our three strategic aims:
- Perform: delivering service excellence
- Protect: prioritising consumer protection and data security
- Progress: enabling innovation and future readiness
The FWP is a living document, updated annually to reflect new challenges, opportunities, and developments within the retail energy sector. The next cycle will maintain this adaptive approach while building on the momentum and lessons learned so far.
Read the Forward Work Plan 2025–28 for more information on our current plan.
What’s new this cycle?
In July 2025, Ofgem signaled its intention to grant RECCo a Code Manager licence, marking a pivotal step in the evolution of the Retail Energy Code (REC). This change will move us from our current role to that of the licensed Code Manager and will place new statutory duties and regulatory expectations on us.
A central part of our preparation for this new role is ensuring that our Forward Work Plan 2026–29 is not only consistent with our mission and strategic aims, but is also aligned to the Preliminary Strategic Direction Statement (SDS) recently issued by Ofgem.
This means that the FWP for 2026–29 will not only continue to deliver against our mission and core strategic aims, but will also help lay the groundwork for our future as a licensed entity.
The Preliminary SDS devotes a section to ‘shaping the retail market that works for consumers’ and includes code changes as a lever to tackle issues ranging from raising service standards to enabling innovations in new retail offerings.
In the ‘act now’ category, REC/RECCo is cited against several objectives and deliverables, including delivering a new consumer consent mechanism, tariff data interoperability standards, and continued work to improve the voluntary code of practice for energy brokers. We want your input on the development of our delivery plan.
What’s the engagement cycle timeline?
Development of FWP 2026–29 will follow a clear cycle of engagement, drafting, and refinement. We’ll give regular updates throughout the year as we move through each stage, ensuring transparency and systematic opportunities for feedback.
How can you get involved?
Over the coming months, we’ll be reaching out through a range of channels to give you every opportunity to shape the next phase of the retail energy market: from setting strategic priorities to refining day-to-day operations.
- Online surveys: Share your views by completing our short Forward Work Plan & SDS 2026-29 online survey
- Bilateral meetings: For REC Parties only, join our REC Engagement Day on 30 September 2025. Afternoon surgeries will involve informal chats on topics that matter most to you, including Forward Work Plan 2026–29.
- Webinars and briefings: Join our initial Forward Work Plan & Strategic Direction Statement Webinar on 6 November 2025 to hear from the team about the proposed RECCo direction and to share your feedback. An invite will be circulated in late September for sign-up.
Need more information?
- Contact Suchitra Hammond at recco_strategy@retailenergycode.co.uk if you’d like to book a bilateral meeting, provide initial input, or ask any questions
- Read about our current Strategy 2025-30 and Forward Work Plan 2025-28
- Read about our Stakeholder engagement on Ofgem’s Strategic Direction Statement: Key insights and recommendations
