Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of providing funding from the public purse to cover the standing charge for prepayment meters.

The standing charge reflects the on-going costs that fall on a supplier to provide and maintain a live supply to a customer’s premises.

As announced in the Spring Budget 2023, 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 (EPG) ends. This measure will eliminate the premium paid by households on prepayment meters, which is worth around £45 per year.