HARD-UP energy customers won’t be forced onto expensive prepayment meters, after all gas and electricity firms confirmed they would change rules.
But some firms are refusing to reveal how vulnerable customers will be compensated for cruel intrusions into their home.
AlamyAll energy suppliers have finally agreed to stop forcing hard-up households onto prepayment meters[/caption]
It comes after reports revealed British Gas sent debt collectors to break into customers’ homes to force them to have pay-as-you-go meters put in.
And families who couldn’t afford to top up had their heating cut off entirely.
Ofgem has now banned energy giants from forcing the meters on customers following a national outcry.
And the regulator is carrying out a review into how things went so badly wrong.
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This week Energy Secretary Grant Shapps set firms a deadline to confirm what actions they’ll take to compensate customers who faced wrongful installations.
While several responded, some greedy suppliers didn’t even address the question in half-baked written replies to the minister.
The Department for Energy says most suppliers are falling short on correcting their ways.
HELPING HAND
HOUSEHOLDS across the country are being hit hard by the rising cost of living – but there is help available.
Energy bill discount
Millions of households started receiving a £400 energy bill discount from October 1 last year.
There will also be a discount worth £67 in January, February and March.
Warm Home Discount – worth £150
Millions of households will get a £150 discount on their energy bills between December and March 2023.
Cost of living payment – worth £650
Millions of households have been paid the first part of their £650 cost of living payment.
The payments aim to help hard-up households to help them with spiralling bills and essentials.
Pensioner Cost of Living Payment – worth £300
In November, a £300 one-off “Pensioner Cost of Living Payment” was paid out to eight million households.
Mr Shapps today vowed to hold the sector to account and push firms to remediate damage done.
“People will have understandably been shocked and appalled at how vulnerable people’s homes have been invaded and suppliers are only at the beginning of correcting this abhorrent behaviour,” the Energy Secretary said.
“I am angered by the fact some have so freely moved vulnerable customers onto prepayment meters, without a proper plan to take remedial action where there has been a breach of the rules.
“This is simply not good enough… I want to see plans from suppliers actually acted upon – and customers given the service they have a right to expect.”
Mr Shapps has called on Ofgem set up a new reporting system, where customers can dob in dodgy suppliers for any mistreatment.
The regulator said it’s looking into making it happen.
It comes after the Sun called for a ban on customers being moved onto pre-payment meters last year.