On 16 December, People’s Energy was affected by a cyber security data breach. Though no financial information for our domestic members was compromised, some of our members’ other personal information was accessed.
We want to support you as far as possible to minimise the impact of this incident. We’ve put together some FAQs to answer some of the questions you might have. You can also reach us on our dedicated phone number 0131 378 2357, or by emailing helpline@peoplesenergy.co.uk.
On Wednesday 16 December, we discovered that an unauthorised third party had gained access to one of the systems we use to store some of our members’ data. As soon as we became aware of what was happening, we acted immediately to close down the route being used to get into our system, and to stop access to any further information.
We’ve informed the Information Commissioner’s Office and the energy industry regulator, Ofgem. We’re following their guidance, and are keeping them updated on the situation.
No. We’ve identified how our security was compromised, and the breach has been stopped.
Yes. We’re confident that for domestic members, no access was gained to any financial information, and members’ bank details are safe and secure.
Certain personal details of our members were accessed. This includes names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, dates of birth, People’s Energy account numbers, tariff details, and gas and electricity meter identification numbers.
Online People’s Energy account passwords were not accessed in the breach, and remain secure.
Details for all our members were accessed. This includes both current members and former members who’ve used us as their energy supplier in the past. We’re doing everything we can to contact everyone affected to explain what’s happened.
Please be vigilant. It’s possible that the party responsible for this security breach may try to get in contact with you. Some of the ways you can help to keep your information safe are:
If you’re suspicious about an email, call or letter that appears to come from People’s Energy, please contact us straight away. You can reach us on our dedicated phone number 0131 378 2357, or by emailing helpline@peoplesenergy.co.uk. We’re experiencing higher call volumes than normal, so if you can, please email rather than calling. We’ll get back to you as fast as we can.
No. As your password wasn’t compromised, your online account remains secure.
We have no idea of the motivation behind this attack. The police are investigating, and we’ll pass on any relevant information as soon as it’s available.
We take keeping your data safe extremely seriously. Right now, we’re working with a dedicated external security team to add additional protection to our systems. Your financial data is kept in a separate system with enhanced security.
Yes. Magnum Utilities is the company we partner with to carry out the installation of our smart meters. They may get in touch with you by phone or email to arrange for your smart meter to be installed.
Yes, this is genuine. We are currently carrying out the second round of voting for our customer member representative elections.
We’ve set up a dedicated team to deal with any questions or concerns you may have. You can reach us by phone on 0131 378 2357, or by emailing helpline@peoplesenergy.co.uk. We're here 9am-8pm (9am-5pm over the weekend).
We’ll do our best to deal with all your queries as quickly as possible. Please bear with us – your patience is really appreciated.