Claiming compensation if you were forced to have a prepayment meter
This advice applies to England. See advice for See advice for Northern Ireland, See advice for Scotland, See advice for Wales
If your energy supplier forced you to start using a prepayment meter between 1 January 2022 and 31 January 2023, you might be able to get compensation.
You might get compensation if your energy supplier didn’t have your permission to:
install a prepayment meter in your home
switch your meter over to prepayment remotely
If you're eligible for compensation, your energy supplier will contact you.
If you were forced to have a prepayment meter at a different time
You won't automatically get compensation but you can still complain to your supplier. Check how to complain to your energy supplier.
Check how to get compensation
Your energy supplier should send you a letter telling you if you’ll get compensation. Each supplier will send out these letters at different times.
If you haven’t got a letter or if you're not sure if the letter is from your supplier, you should contact them. You can find your supplier's contact details on their website.
Beware of scams
Some scammers are pretending to be from energy companies or government departments to get your personal information.
If you think something might be a scam:
don’t give out any personal information or bank details
don’t use any contact details from the possible scam
You can check if something is a scam.
Check how much compensation you’ll get
The amount of compensation you might get depends on what your supplier did.
The following examples show what you might get if your supplier didn’t follow the rules. There might be other situations where you can get compensation.
If your supplier didn’t follow the correct process for moving you onto a prepayment meter
You might get compensation - it depends on your energy supplier’s decision. If they decide to give you money, it will be £40 to £60.
Your supplier must follow the correct process for moving you onto a prepayment meter. The rules are set by Ofgem. Check how you can stop your supplier from moving you to prepayment meter. The rules might have changed since you were moved onto a prepayment meter, but it’s worth checking them.
If your supplier didn’t give you enough support with debt
Your supplier should give you £250 if they didn't give you enough support with debt. For example, they should have given you advice about how to make your home more energy efficient. This would have helped you spend less money on your energy bills.
If your supplier treated you unfairly
Your supplier should give you £250 if they treated you unfairly. For example, it might be unfair if they didn’t:
take into account how much you could afford to pay in a payment plan
explain how to top up your prepayment meter after they installed it
If your supplier didn’t consider whether you were ‘vulnerable’
Your supplier should give you £500 if you’re considered vulnerable and your supplier didn’t properly assess the risk of switching you to prepayment.
You might be considered vulnerable if:
you're disabled or have a long-term health condition - this includes hearing, sight and mental health conditions
you need your home to be warm for medical reasons
you live with young children aged 5 or under
you’re over 75 years old and live alone
no-one in your household can safely get to, work or top up your prepayment meter
You might also be considered vulnerable for other reasons - for example, if you're pregnant or recently bereaved. Check the most recent rules for when you might be considered vulnerable.
If your supplier inappropriately installed, switched or made you use a prepayment meter
Your supplier should give you £1000 if they put you at risk of serious harm, or if they were unprofessional when they installed the meter.
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