Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Business
Nils Pratley

Ofgem’s voluntary code on prepayment meters seems a bit of a mess

elderly woman using a prepayment meter
You have to be aged 85 or over and living alone, or be extremely incapacitated or severely or terminally ill, to be in the ‘high risk’ category that Ofgem says should never have a meter installed forcibly. Photograph: Libby Welch/Alamy

A voluntary code on involuntary installations sounds like a muddle. That impression is reinforced when reading the detail of Ofgem’s attempt to put a stop to some energy suppliers’ thuggish approach to fitting prepayment meters.

You have to be aged 85 or over and living alone, or be extremely incapacitated or severely or terminally ill, to be in the “high risk” category that Ofgem says should never have a meter installed forcibly. Why set the age cut-off as high as 85? There was no explanation.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.