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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Business
Jillian Ambrose Energy correspondent

More British households struggling with bills will resort to energy theft, campaigners say

A man with an energy meter
Suppliers are facing more call-outs to check meters as the cases of energy theft rise. Photograph: Ron Bull/Alamy

The number of British households stealing about £1.5bn of gas and electricity every year is expected to rise as energy bill bad debts continue to set new records, according to fuel poverty campaigners.

The energy industry has warned that “desperate” households who are unable to pay their bills are increasingly resorting to tampering with their gas and electricity meters to avoid falling deeper into debt.

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