Prepayment Meters
Debate between Graham Stuart and Gerald Jones
Graham Stuart
The hon. Gentleman is right to highlight people in rural areas, including the remote highlands and islands, which I am sure the right hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr Carmichael) will question me about if he gets the chance. The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right that we need a system that recognises the geographical and proximity challenges that affect people such as those he has mentioned, and—while under unprecedented stress, as I say—works at that granular level for ordinary families, often in remote areas. They need help and we need a system that supports them.
Gerald Jones (Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney) (Lab)
Figures from Citizens Advice show that in Wales 81,441 people are being disconnected at least once a month, and 24,432 people are being disconnected at least once a week. In October, Ofgem warned suppliers that not enough was being done to identify customers in vulnerable circumstances before installing a prepayment meter, but analysis of calls to Citizens Advice’s consumer service just in the past month suggests that that practice is ongoing. Voluntary action is not working, so I repeat: will the Government implement a total ban on forced prepayment meter installations until new protections are brought in?
Graham Stuart
We have called on suppliers to voluntarily stop the practice of switching to prepayment meters as the answer to households struggling to pay their bills, and they should also make a greater effort to help the vulnerable. We are going to look at this whole system, not least following Ofgem’s investigation that found failings by energy suppliers when dealing with the most vulnerable.