A charity fears the “already worrying” number of people self-disconnecting from pre-payment energy meters could spike amid increasing cost-of-living pressures. Andy Brown, of Citizens Advice, said people must not spend the winter “too scared, too frightened to turn the heating on”.
The charity is predicting that in January – a month where finances are typically tight for many – some pre-payment customers will need to find an estimated £360 a month for their energy or risk being cut off. He said: “We are concerned that the consequences of enforcement action and, in particular, the imposing of a pre-payment meter to collect energy bill arrears, will lead to a spike in the already worrying rise in the number of people self-disconnecting.
“When people on pre-payment meters can’t afford to top up, this doesn’t mean they simply slip into debt. For many, they often self-disconnect, impacting on their health, their wellbeing and potentially leading to disrepair for their homes.”
