Forced installation of Prepayment MetersNorth Wales MS and Chair of the Senedd’s Cross Party Group on Fuel Poverty, Mark Isherwood, has highlighted the actions taken by the UK Government to halt the forced installation of prepayment meters and asked the Social Justice Minister, in light of her call for an outright ban on forced installations, what consideration she has given to concerns of a consequent increase in bailiff action.
Questioning the Minister during Wednesday’s Topical Question in the Welsh Parliament, Mr Isherwood also asked how she will work with British Gas to promote their repayment customer support fund.
He said:
“Last month, prior to your 31st January and 2nd February letters to the UK Government and before The Times investigation revealed British Gas routinely sending debt collectors to break into customers' homes and force-fit prepayment meters, even when they're known to have extreme vulnerabilities, the then UK Business Secretary Grant Shapps wrote to Energy Suppliers stating that they should stop forcing vulnerable customers on to prepayment meters and that they should make greater efforts to help those struggling to pay their bills.
“He called for the ‘urgent publication’ of the energy suppliers' recent investigation into vulnerable customers, and the release of data on applications suppliers had made to forcibly install meters. Last week, Ofgem asked Energy companies to suspend the forced installation of prepayment meters, and on Monday, Lord Justice Edis ordered Magistrates' Courts in England and Wales to stop authorising warrants for Energy Firms to forcibly install prepayment meters with immediate effect. On the same day, then UK Energy Minister, Graham Stuart, met the boss of Ofgem and told him that the UK Government expected ‘strong and immediate action where suppliers fall short of their obligations’.
“In light of your call for an outright ban, what consideration have you given to concerns of a consequent increase in bailiff action, which I believe is the only thing that's held the UK Government back? And how will you work with British Gas to promote their ring-fenced prepayment customer support fund, targeted to help prepayment and vulnerable customers?“