Citizens Advice is calling for energy companies to be banned from forcing customers onto prepayment meters to grab back debt built up as they struggle to pay their bills.
The charity estimates one household ran out of credit on their prepayment meter every 10 seconds last year, an estimated 3.2 million people overwhelmed by rising energy bills, food prices and inflation in the cost of living crisis. Prepayment - or pay as you go - meters only work if the customer pays for their gas or electricity before they use it, either via an app or adding credit to a card or 'key'.
Paying for your energy using this method is more expensive than paying by direct debit or cash after you have used the energy, but families sometimes have no choice if they have struggled to pay and are in debt to an energy supplier. Many rented properties also have prepayment meters.
