ISG Blog April 2026
The Independent Stakeholder Group met in person at NGN’s Thorpe Park office in Leeds on 13 April.
This was our first full meeting as NGN moves into the new GD3 price control period, so a lot of the discussion focused on how commitments, targets and reporting will now move from planning into delivery (we will continue with focus into our next meeting in June).
We started with a business update from NGN. The ISG asked about safety, innovation, staff engagement and the ongoing CMA appeal. We asked NGN to provide a clearer explanation of the customer and public interest case for the appeal, and how the final GD3 settlement will be translated into internal targets, KPIs and reporting.
We also reviewed NGN’s gender pay gap. The ISG welcomed the openness of the discussion, but challenged NGN to move beyond explanation and provide a clearer action plan, with milestones, benchmarking, ownership and evidence of what is and is not working.
Biomethane, NGN set out the current position on connections, future opportunities, and some of the practical barriers around capacity, gas quality, feedstock and future policy support. The ISG welcomed the detail, but asked NGN to be clearer about customer value, funding, and how biomethane is explained externally as part of the net zero transition. We will visit a biomethane site this month.
Customer service performance remains strong, but the ISG focused on the changing customer journey in GD3. Connections and disconnections are becoming more important as customers make different choices about heat and low carbon technologies. We challenged NGN to understand this better, especially for vulnerable customers, so that the company is not seen as a blocker to transition.
We also discussed the link between customer-facing digital tools and NGN’s wider data and digital strategy. Tools such as Vyntelligence and AI-enabled processes have real potential, but the ISG wants to see them better connected across the business and clearly linked to customer benefits.
The meeting also covered vulnerability and VCMA delivery. NGN has supported a wide range of projects during GD2, including work on carbon monoxide, fuel poverty, services beyond the meter and priority customers. As funding continues in GD3, the ISG will continue to scrutinise how NGN protects the strongest projects, reduces duplication and improves collaboration.
Overall, this was a useful and challenging meeting. The ISG will continue to focus on delivery, evidence and customer outcomes as GD3 gets underway.