There is a shift happening across our sector, and it is not as simple as one change replacing another.

What we are seeing instead is a layering of pressures that are starting to interact with each other.

Regulation is moving closer, but without full clarity on how it will be applied in practice. Supplier expectations are evolving, often inconsistently. Legal challenges that once felt distant are now starting to appear in real conversations between brokers and their clients.

When you look at each of these in isolation, they are manageable. When they begin to overlap, they start to shape how a brokerage operates at a fundamental level.

We have been speaking to brokers across the UK over the past year, and that tension is coming through clearly. In our most recent survey, 83% of respondents pointed to supplier communication and service as a core issue. 60% highlighted regulatory uncertainty.

On average, brokers rated the impact of these challenges as 7 out of 10 on their commercial performance.

That is pressure that affects decisions, timelines, and ultimately revenue.

This is the context for this year’s AGM.

The ECA Annual General Meeting, taking place on Thursday 30th April at the Manchester Marriott, has been built deliberately around these realities.

Not just to highlight them, but to explore them properly, with the people who are shaping them and the brokers who are dealing with them.

We will open the day by stepping back and looking at our role as an association, and where we are choosing to focus our time and effort.

We have always been clear on what we are here to do.

Represent brokers, challenge poor practice where we see it, and raise standards across the sector in a way that reflects the reality of how brokers operate.

That sounds straightforward, but in practice it requires constant adjustment. The issues brokers are dealing with are not static. They evolve, sometimes quickly, and often without clear guidance.

Our Chair, John Haw, will walk through the latest member feedback and how that is shaping our priorities for 2026. This is not just about what we are doing, but why we are doing it, and where we believe the pressure points in the industry currently sit.

For brokers in the room, it is a chance to sense-check that direction, and to understand how their own experiences feed into it.

There is a lot of noise around TPI regulation at the moment.

What we are hearing from brokers is not opposition to regulation itself. In many cases, it is the opposite. There is recognition that parts of the sector need to improve, and that well-designed regulation can help raise standards.

The concern is around how it is implemented.

Several brokers we spoke to describe the same uncertainty in different ways. A sense that something significant is coming, but without enough clarity on timelines, expectations, or what “good” will look like in practice.

That gap creates hesitation. Businesses delay decisions, or invest in the wrong areas, simply because they do not have a clear line of sight.

Tim Hipperson’s session is designed to close that gap as much as possible. Not by overpromising certainty, but by giving a grounded view of what is known, what is still evolving, and what brokers should realistically be preparing for now.

If regulation is one side of the pressure brokers are feeling, supplier relationships are the other.

The survey results gave a clear indication of where sentiment sits. An average rating of 5.1 out of 10 for major suppliers is not just a number, it reflects a pattern of experience.

When brokers talk about supplier challenges, the examples are often practical rather than abstract. Delayed commission payments that require repeated follow-up. Billing issues that take months to resolve. LOA processes that break down when tested. Situations where accountability is difficult to pin down.

At the same time, there is recognition that suppliers are dealing with their own pressures, and that change is happening on their side as well.

This panel is not about assigning blame. It is about understanding direction.

With representation from SSE, EDF and TEM, and chaired by Mark Gamble, the discussion will focus on how suppliers are preparing for the next phase of the market, and what that means for how brokers engage with them.

For many brokers, this is one of the few opportunities to hear that thinking directly, rather than interpreting it through experience alone.

For a long time, the fixed contract has provided a level of structure and predictability for brokers.

That structure is starting to be questioned.

We are seeing gradual movement towards more complex models, influenced by developments such as Market-wide Half-Hourly Settlement, alongside increasing scrutiny on how brokers demonstrate value to clients over time.

This is not an overnight shift. Most brokers are still operating within familiar frameworks. But the direction of travel is becoming harder to ignore.

What makes this challenging is not just the change itself, but the lack of a clear end point. Brokers are being asked to adapt without a fully defined model to move towards.

This panel, led by John Haw, is designed to explore that uncertainty openly. Not to present a single answer, but to unpack the forces driving change and what they might mean for different types of brokerages.

Amid all of this, brokers are still expected to guide clients with confidence.

That expectation does not change, even when the market becomes more difficult to interpret.

Cornwall Insight’s session provides something that is often missing in day-to-day operations. A chance to step back and look at the market with a clearer lens.

Rather than reacting to headlines or short-term movement, this is about understanding the underlying drivers. What is influencing pricing, how demand is shifting, and what factors may shape the months ahead.

For brokers, that context is not just useful. It is necessary.

This is one of the more complex areas brokers are currently navigating.

In our survey, a number of respondents highlighted contract disputes and commission claims as a key challenge. That on its own does not tell the full story, but it reflects a wider trend.

We are seeing more activity, more questions, and more uncertainty around how these situations should be handled.

Some brokers have already had to engage with this directly. Others are aware of the risk but have not yet assessed their position in detail.

John Haw and Stephen Wiles (PreAction) will provide a grounded update on where things stand, what we are seeing across the market, and how brokers can start to approach this more proactively.

It is not always a straightforward conversation, but it is one that is becoming increasingly difficult to avoid.

Complaint handling has always been part of running a brokerage.

What is changing is the level of scrutiny and structure around it.

As ADR processes become more prominent, the way complaints are handled is no longer just an internal matter. It becomes something that can be assessed, challenged, and, in some cases, escalated externally.

James Walker from the Dispute Resolution Ombudsman will focus on what good looks like in practice.

Not just from a theoretical perspective, but based on where businesses tend to fall short, and what steps can be taken to strengthen processes before they are tested.

For many brokers, this is about moving from something reactive to something considered.

While much of the conversation is focused on managing risk and adapting to change, brokers are also thinking about growth.

In our discussions with members, there is a consistent theme around diversification. Not abandoning existing models but expanding into areas that provide additional stability or opportunity.

UrbanVolt will share how their solar proposition is being used in practice, and where brokers are seeing traction.

Flagship Energy will explore how flexible trading is becoming more accessible, and what that opens up for brokers who may not have previously engaged with that part of the market.

These sessions are not positioned as solutions for everyone, but as insight into where parts of the market are already moving.

One of the strongest messages from our survey was the importance of a unified voice.

Brokers described it as vital, particularly in the context of regulation and supplier engagement.

That idea of a collective voice is not something that exists in isolation. It is built through conversation, challenge, and shared experience.

The Q&A session is where that starts to come through more clearly. Not just questions to speakers, but discussions between brokers who are dealing with similar issues in different ways.

The networking that follows tends to carry that further.

We often find that the most useful conversations are not the ones planned in advance, but the ones that happen when brokers compare notes and realise where their experiences overlap.

We have held AGMs in the past where the focus was growth, opportunity, and expansion.

This year feels more grounded.

There is more uncertainty, but also more awareness.

Brokers are more conscious of the risks, more aware of the direction of travel, and more focused on making the right decisions at the right time.

That does not make the outlook negative. But it does mean that clarity and connection matter more than ever.

That is what this day is designed to provide.

If you are already part of the ECA, this is where you stay close to what matters. If you are not, it is an opportunity to see how we approach the challenges facing the sector and how we represent brokers within it.

Tickets are limited and we are approaching capacity.

Secure your place on Eventbrite.

Brokers who are part of the ECA are already leading the way in professional standards.

✔ Access to expert-led training and guidance on regulatory changes
✔ Support with compliance, ADR, and complaints handling solutions
✔ A collective voice to represent brokers’ interests with Ofgem and policymakers
✔ Networking opportunities and industry recognition

If you would like to become a member today and share in tomorrow’s success, please contact enquiries@energyconsultantsassociation.co.uk with the following information:

• Membership tier relevant to your business turnover
• Business address
• Main contact details
• Monthly/Annual payment

Or fill out this form to recieve our information pack

If you have any questions, please reach out at enquiries@energyconsultantsassociation.co.uk

If today’s agenda speaks to the challenges you face, or the kind of support you want more of, we’d love to welcome you as a member.

Let’s build the future of this sector together.