Campaigners have called for an immediate ban on pre-payment meter (PPM) installations through court warrants over fears that energy firms are using them to disconnect indebted customers "by the back door".
More than 152,000 households with smart meters were switched remotely to more costly PPM plans by their energy supplier last year, according to recent figures from Ofgem, with 60,000 households switched in the past three months alone.
Those who cannot afford to top up their meter eventually run out of gas and electricity and self-disconnect but still face paying daily standing charge costs.
