Pre-payment Meter Energy Customers and Higher Costs

The usual laws of commerce and capitalism are that buy first, pay later costs more and that those who can pay in

advance will get a discount. The direct opposite is true for people on prepayment meters. Nearly 67,000 people in Glasgow alone are paying more than I am for their gas and electricity, and in daily standing charges. I object to that because I and other people on higher incomes not only get to pay in arrears and have the comfort of a guaranteed supply of energy, but, somehow, get to pay less. I also object because the vast majority of people on prepayment meters are on them because they have had some financial challenges. They should be helped, not punished.

The petition states:

The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to ensure that prepayment meter energy customers do not pay more than standard credit or direct debit energy customers.

Following is the full text of the petition:

[The petition of residents of the United Kingdom,

Declares that 4.5 million pre-payment energy customers, who are some of the most vulnerable in society and are more likely to be classed as fuel poor, pay more for their energy than standard credit or direct debit customers; notes that prepayment meter customers will pay, on average, an additional 20p per day in standing charges alone; notes that regional variations in standing charges for prepayment meter customers can see customers in the North of Scotland paying 17.82p per day more than those in London, notes the surge in forced prepayment meter installations and reports that some 3.2 million prepayment meter customers were disconnected from their supply as they ran out of credit, more in 2022 than in the last 10 years combined; recognises the perverse injustice that the poorest and most vulnerable in our society pay more for their energy, and that for many they have no choice in how they pay for their energy.

The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to ensure that prepayment meter energy customers do not pay more than standard credit or direct debit energy customers.

And the petitioners remain, etc.]

[P002796]