Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of the temporary ban on prepayment installations ending before Ofgem’s Market Compliance Review into prepayment meter policies and practices has concluded.

All suppliers have agreed to cease the forced installation of prepayment meters (PPMS) until 31 March 2023, but has now been indefinitely extended whilst Ofgem and industry agree and implement a code of practice to improve consumer safeguards. Ofgem has begun an intensive consultation process to look at what further protections may be needed around PPMs.

As announced in the Spring budget, the Government will remove the premium paid by households using prepayment meters by bringing their charges in line with comparable direct debit customers until the Energy Price Guarantee ends.