Citizens Advice responds to British Gas prepayment meter installation investigation
Responding to the conclusion of Ofgem’s prepayment meter installation investigation of British Gas, Dame Clare Moriarty, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice, said:
“Three years ago our landmark report blew the whistle on the prepayment scandal. It revealed the sheer scale of the crisis, highlighting how suppliers were forcing prepayment meters on some of the most vulnerable households in the country. Today's settlement with British Gas shows that kind of behaviour has serious consequences.
"Many of those affected were left without heat in the depths of winter because they couldn't afford to top up. Those people deserve real compensation. This helps deliver that and serves as a warning to energy suppliers not to put consumers at risk.
"Without proper support, struggling families can be left in really dangerous situations. Ofgem must ensure the closure of this investigation is a step forward, not the final word."
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Notes to editors:
In January 2023, Citizens Advice published a landmark report ‘Kept in the dark’, which followed an earlier report on the same issue, and highlighted: More than 2 million people were being disconnected from their energy supply at least once a month. 1 in 5 (19%) prepayment customers who had been disconnected from their energy supply in the past year said they had disconnected for more than 24 hours at least once. 1 in 3 (33%) people on prepayment meters said that they had disconnected at least once in the past year because they could not afford to top up. This equated to more than 3 million people, or 1 person every 10 seconds.
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