and said the solution to households struggling to pay bills is for the Government to spend more on subsidies.his company has around 750,000 customers using prepay and argues it helps them avoid spiralling into debt and the harmful effects of self-rationing their energy usage.
Following the spike in prices for gas and electric last year, many customers have struggled to keep up and found themselves in debt, leading energy companies to force them onto prepayment meters.found nearly half a million warrants had been obtained to perform the forced installation of prepayment meters since July 2021Campaigners say the meters are pushing the poorest households to self-disconnect but Mr Bullen said he believes this claim has been “somewhat overplayed”.
“Self-disconnection is happening all the time, it is happening more frequently [at the moment], but we see people use about 15 or 16 per cent more energy on prepay,” he said. He said: “We’re above water, but not by much. Nobody in the energy business wants to enforce hardship on people.The cap would have kept the average cost for a household down to £2,500-a-year for two years.The Government said earlier this month the EPG cost taxpayers £25 billion in the first six months and would cost a further £13 billion in 2023-24.“It was going to run for 18 months and cost £50bn.