Ofgem to ban forced pre-pay meters - but only for over 85s

Gerry1

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/apr/17/energy-firms-ban-forced-prepay-meter-installations-over-85s-body-cams

Grizebeck

So just put the DOB down to make u look older if you wish to avoid a prepay meter

Chrysalis

Read the article, its not just over 85's but also people with certain conditions such a sickle cell disease as well as those who dont have the ability to use topup cards.

The age criteria for those without the other exemptions does seem quite harsh though.

Spoonie_Turtle

And it's not all 85s+, it's 85+ if they have nobody else in the home to help them.

I get why they're doing it, I also get why it's not ideal, but let's face it benefit levels will never be wholly adequate.

MattMattMattUK

From what I can find online and there is no solid data, it does seem that this change would effect no more than a few hundred people a year, possibly fewer. Some older people may have issues paying their bills, but they also get pensions, pension credit if on low income, winter fuel payments and other payments on top depending on circumstances, they also do not generally fall into the groups who refuse to engage with the energy suppliers. 

That is also they key issue that keeps being ignored when the media spin this story about "evil energy suppliers", they do not just turn up, smash someone's door in and fit a prepayment meter for fun, or because someone did not pay for one month, or even six, in cases where warrants have been obtained the customer has generally been non-paying and refusing to even engage with the energy supplier for nearly two years. Whilst people may not like these installations, or automatic switchovers of smart meters, the change overs are hardly unfair. 

Gerry1

MattMattMattUK said:

they do not just turn up, smash someone's door in and fit a prepayment meter for fun

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/british-gas-prepayment-meter-debt-energy-bills-investigation-wrgnzt6xs

Alfonso found it great fun.

njm123

This is probably the start of a process where the energy companies are seen to be helping the most vulnerable, starting with a group that in reality will have very low numbers -  as it's been pointed out the majority in this group and entitled to other support and don't generally stick their heads in the sand and ignore bills.  Probably all the suppliers need to do is make sure they join the dots so people get help they are already entitled to by referring them to the appropriate agencies.

The payback for the suppliers longer term will be that any costs will end up being picked up by taxpayers/other customers, to cover a small group no one will object to helping.     If the  political pressure then comes on to expand this to other groups in the future the principle will be established that the taxpayer/other bill payers cover the cost, which could get much higher, rather than there being a squeeze on profits.

TheElectricCow

It’s good to see some more concrete rules in place, but really all this does is add some definable characteristics to the way the system was already supposed to be working.

Forced prepayment installs were already, in theory, not meant to happen to vulnerable customers and should have always been a last resort for non-engaging customers. In practice this may not have always been the case, but the addition of these rules isn’t exactly a new development, and the issue still lies in the rules not being followed correctly rather than the rules themselves being the problem.

All that said, the actual changes like the initial £30 credit make sense and would be very good to alleviate some of the issues people newly put on prepayment face such as not being able to top up immediately.

Scot_39

Except £30 is only a few days usage in depths of winter for any medium sized home.

It might be 2 weeks for many in summer, but as soon as the heating goes on....

pochase

The £30 is to give the them some time to go to a shop to load the key, not to have energy for the next weeks. It is just to avoid the scenario where the emter has been switched and they sit in the dark freezing. £30 should be enough to get to a shop, but it will not be enough to get you through if you don't have money for energy.

markin

Gerry1 said:

MattMattMattUK said:

they do not just turn up, smash someone's door in and fit a prepayment meter for fun

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/british-gas-prepayment-meter-debt-energy-bills-investigation-wrgnzt6xs

Alfonso found it great fun.

Anyone who can't have fun doing the work would quickly get depressed and go off sick, The Court is meant to be the judge of whether its right or not, He's just the 'tool' and there to do his work.