Universal Credit payments may be 'wiped out' by energy price rises

Prepayment energy customers are more likely to be living in fuel poverty than direct-debit customers

PREPAYMENT energy meter customers on Universal Credit could see their entire payments effectively “wiped out” by soaring energy costs – or worse, be completely unable to pay for energy – new analysis from Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) has found.

Around 470,000 households in Scotland pay for their energy in advance using prepayment meters, which is often far more expensive than paying by direct debit.