British Gas!!

calroz

If you are on benefits do you get a reduction in price when you have a prepayment meter installed?

tripled

Nope, prepayment meters are more expensive.

However if you are on benefits you may qualify for the essentials tariff, which means you pay their direct debit rate regardless of how you pay or what type of meter you have (so it's the same price).

frances54321

dear tripled.
why, i say why.... are pre-payment meters more expensive? can nothing be done about it?

tripled

They are more expensive to administer, so they charge more. Also people with prepayment meters are less likely to switch provider (BG still have 60% of the gas prepayment market compared to around 45% of the total gas market) so I would guess it's seen as an easy revenue stream.

For electricity prepayment meters BG are reasonably competetive (although not usually the cheapest), especially for low users (their 'tier 1' rates on a prepayment meter are actually cheaper in most regions than that on the standard tariff), but there are cheaper ones out there.

For gas they are one of the most expensive prepayment providers.

A company worth considering if you have a prepayment meter is Ebico, as they charge the same no matter how you pay and have no standing charges or two tier system.