Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to ensure energy suppliers remove prepayment meters for customers who are (a) vulnerable and (b) at risk of prolonged disconnection.

All suppliers have agreed to cease the forced installation of prepayment meters and the remote switching of smart meters to prepayment mode, except in clear instances of energy theft. This pause was due to end on 31 March 2023, but has now been indefinitely extended whilst Ofgem and industry agree and implement a code of practice to improve consumer safeguards.

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.