London Daily

Focus on the big picture.

Forced installation of prepayment meters banned for over 85s and those with conditions worsened by cold

Forced installation of prepayment meters banned for over 85s and those with conditions worsened by cold

Ofgem's new code of practice for prepayment meters will extend protections, but has been criticised for not covering more vulnerable households.
Energy firms installing prepayment meters will be required to try to contact a customer at least ten times and conduct a "site welfare visit" before forcibly conducting the installation, new guidelines will say.

Energy company workers will also be required to wear body cameras or sound recorders to make sure new energy regulator rules that govern prepayment meter installations are being adhered to.

Ofgem's new code of practice for prepayment meters will outright ban forcibly installing prepayment meters in the homes of people with a terminal illness and those aged 85 and older who don't have someone to care for them.

People with a health condition that would be worsened by living in a cold home - such as emphysema and sickle cell disease - will also be protected from forced installation, as will people who require a continuous supply of electricity for medical equipment.

Under existing rules, meters are not to be installed in the homes of vulnerable customers. But an investigation by The Times newspaper found debt collectors working for British Gas had forced their way into the homes of vulnerable customers.

The head of British Gas parent company Centrica apologised on Sky News after the report came to light.

The rules around prepayment meters have been revised in consultation with government, stakeholders and industry after the scandal emerged.

In February Ofgem asked suppliers to temporarily suspend the practice of forced installation and review their processes for dealing with customers who have fallen into arrears.

Prepayment meters are pay-as-you-go devices that require top-up payments to provide gas and electricity to a home. Energy providers install the meters to customers who are in debt to avoid them amassing higher bills.

If payments are not made, no power is supplied. In an effort to prevent households being immediately without power, £30 credit will be given under the new rules.

The top-up payments are more expensive than paying bills, something Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said would end in July.

Official figures showed more than 94,000 meters were installed in homes in Britain throughout 2022.

Ofgem will announce full details of the code of practice, which firms have agreed to be bound by, on Tuesday morning.

But the new guidelines, originally reported in The Guardian newspaper, have fallen short of some groups' expectations.

Disability equality charity Scope, said: "This process will still allow energy companies to install prepayment meters in some disabled households".

"We want to see the forced installation of meters and remote switching banned outright for disabled people," Tom Marsland, Scope policy manager said.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
British police appear unprepared to deal with usual suspects
Russia's Ballistic Blitz on Kyiv Sends Shockwaves Through Global Stability
Multiple Tragedies and Tensions Mark Global Events: A Closer Look
Elon Musk's AfD Endorsement Ignites Controversy from neo-Nazis who accuse the AfD of being what they themselves are
Ukraine Claims Unprecedented Russian Losses: The Truth Behind Wartime Statistics
Federal Reserve Chair Powell: "We are prohibited from owning Bitcoin and are not seeking any changes to that law."
A Democratic congresswoman with blue and black hair is having a meltdown over "President Musk."
A sizable group of unauthorized migrants is traveling through Mexico with the aim of reaching the USA before Trump assumes office.
Beatles Reunion Electrifies London: Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr Ignite O2 Arena with Surprise Performance
Starmer's Envoy Engages Trump Team as UK Seeks Strategic U.S. Partnership
Britain's Retail Rebound Falters as Black Friday Splurge Dissipates
Bank of Japan's Bold Reckoning: A Decade of Unconventional Policy Under Scrutiny
Republican Discord Threatens Government Shutdown Amid Holiday Season
French Retiree Dominique Pellico Convicted for Recruiting 72 Men to Assault Wife Over a Decade
Putin Defends War Strategy as Global Tensions Rise
Putin Claims Progress as Tensions Rise: Conflict in Ukraine Intensifies
Putin's Paradox: Claiming Strength Amidst Sanctions and Isolation
Water as a Weapon: The Contentious Struggle for Survival in Gaza
Syria's Future: A Fight for Democracy or Another Cycle of Oppression?
UK Considers Sending Troops to Ukraine: A Strategic Move or Intensifying The Proxy War?
Renewed ISIS Threat Puts Syria’s Cultural Heritage in Peril
Escalation in Moscow: High-Profile Assassination and International Tensions Intensify
North Korean Troops in Ukraine: A New Cold War Frontier?
Ukraine's Bold Move: High-Stakes Assassination of Russian General in Moscow
Dubai's Technological Leap: Brain Chips and AI Board Members by 2025
Tragedy Strikes Wisconsin School as Shooting Claims Lives of Teacher and Student
UK's Calculated Gamble: Balancing Defense Aid to Ukraine and Domestic Demands
UK Intensifies Stranglehold on Russian Oil, but Does It Dampen Putin’s Resolve?
British Voter Endorsement of Reeves's Bold Tax Strategy
Nicola Sturgeon Warns of 'Toxic' Discourse: The Perils of Polarisation in Modern Politics
Levelling Down: How the Conservatives Underspent on Regional Revitalization
Alleged Chinese Espionage: The Entangled Web Beyond Prince Andrew
Starmer Navigates Diplomatic Tightrope Amid Chinese Espionage Revelations Involving Prince Andrew
Balancing Democracy and Disorder: The Trial of a Milkshake Incident
Royal Mail Enters New Chapter Under Czech Ownership
UK Companies Slash Jobs Amid Economic Strain
Kemi Badenoch Rekindles Flat Tax Debate Amid Inheritance Tax Uproar
Rewiring Whitehall: New Cabinet Secretary's Mandate for Change
Legal Battle Revives: Lucy Letby Seeks Fresh Appeal as Expert Evidence Faces Scrutiny
Accusations Fly as UK-China Relations Spark Tension Within British Politics
The Delicate Dance of Devolution: As English Council Elections Face Delays
The Alleged Chinese Spy at the Heart of British Royal Circles: Yang Tengbo Unmasked
Prince Andrew Withdraws from Royal Christmas Amidst Chinese Espionage Scandal
EU Takes Legal Action Against UK Over Allegedly Neglected Rights of EU Citizens
Disaster Strikes: Oil Spill in the Black Sea and Cyclone Devastation in Mayotte
Oil Tanker Disaster in the Kerch Strait: A Confluence of Environmental Catastrophe and Geopolitical Tensions
Olaf Scholz’s Gamble: The Collapse of Germany’s Coalition Government and the Path to Early Elections
Keir Starmer's 'Sycophantic' Tone: Tensions Rise Over UK-China Relations
Trump Recognizes Partial Advances in Ceasefire Attempts in Ukraine Conflict
UK Navigates Complex Global and Domestic Challenges Amid Security, Environmental, and Health Concerns
×