London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, May 31, 2025

Nearly 100,000 prepayment energy meters forcibly installed last year

Nearly 100,000 prepayment energy meters forcibly installed last year

Newspaper reports highlighting the practice of forced installation attracted widespread condemnation and resulted in the energy regulator Ofgem beginning an investigation. The majority of installations last year were carried out by British Gas, Scottish Power and OVO Energy.
More than 94,000 prepayment meters were installed in homes in Britain throughout 2022, government figures show.

The meters were installed by energy providers such as British Gas, Scottish Power and OVO Energy using court-sought warrants and without customer consent.

Those three providers were behind 70% of installations, the government said, and fitted 66,187 devices under warrant.

The greatest number - 25,000 - were installed under warrant by British Gas. Scottish Power followed closely behind with 24,320, and Ovo installed 16,867 prepayment meters under warrant.

The practice of forced installation attracted widespread condemnation and the energy regulator Ofgem began an investigation.

A temporary pause in forced installation, which has been extended beyond the end of March, was announced by the regulator and British Gas said it will not conduct any forced installations until at least the end of April.

Ofgem also said it would consider fining firms and making them compensate customers if they did not follow rules around the installation of pre-paid meters.

The action was prompted by an undercover investigation by The Times, which showed agents for supplier British Gas breaking into customers' homes, including vulnerable households.

Prepayment meters are pay-as-yo-go devices that require top-up payments to provide gas and electricity to a household.

If payments are not made, no power is supplied. Meter energy payments are more expensive than bill payments, something Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said would end in July.

Energy providers install the meters to customers who were in debt to avoid them amassing higher bills.

Energy Secretary Grant Shapps said: "Today's figures give a clear and horrifying picture of just how widespread the forced installation of prepayment meters had become, with last year seeing an average of over 7,500 force-fitted a month."

Mr Shapps has not supported a blanket ban on prepayment meters.

"Prepayment meters are right for some people," he said.

"I do not want to ban them outright, but I do have concerns that companies have not been treating their customers fairly, over an already difficult winter during which the government has tried to help families by paying around half the energy bill of the average household."

The head of British Gas parent company, Centrica, apologised on Sky's Ian King Live show for his company's forced installation.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
Chinese Woman Dies After Being Forced to Visit Bank Despite Critical Illness
President Trump Grants Full Pardons to Reality TV Stars Todd and Julie Chrisley
Texas Enacts App Store Accountability Act Mandating Age Verification
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Vatican Calls for Sustainable Tourism in 2025 Message
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on iPhones Amid Dispute with Apple CEO
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
Liverpool Car Ramming Incident Leaves Multiple Injured
Australia Faces Immigration Debate Following Labor Party Victory
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Macron Dismisses Viral Video of Wife's Gesture as Playful Banter
Cleveland Clinic Study Questions Effectiveness of Recent Flu Vaccine
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Junior Doctors Threaten Strike Over 4% Pay Offer
Labour MPs Urge Chancellor to Tax Wealthy Over Cutting Welfare
Publication of UK Child Poverty Strategy Delayed Until Autumn
France Detains UK Fishing Vessel Amid Post-Brexit Tensions
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
Nigel Farage Pledges to Reinstate Winter Fuel Payments
Boris and Carrie Johnson Welcome Daughter Poppy
×