Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what estimate she has made of the number of pre-pay gas and electricity meters installed in England, Wales and Scotland without the authority of the account holder in the last 12 months; if she will prohibit the installation of such pre-payment meters without such authority; and if she will make a statement.

Ofgem closely monitors domestic energy suppliers’ performance and publishes information in relation to debt owed by domestic electricity and gas accounts holders in Great Britain. In 2013, latest data available, a total of 299,784 electricity prepayment meters were installed in the year, of which 227,886 were installed to recover a debt. A total of 293,846 gas prepayment meters were installed in the year, of which 226,999 were installed to recover a debt. Ofgem’s data does not to show how many prepayment meters were installed without the authority of the account holder (under a warrant) or differentiate between installations in England, Scotland and Wales.

The installation of prepayment meter is a valuable alternative to the disconnection of supply for debt. The need to apply to the courts for a warrant to enter a consumer’s home to install a prepayment meter should be an action of last resort after all attempts to communicate with the consumer have failed. Courts will require supply companies to provide details of the communication path followed as part of the warrant application process.