Stop your energy supplier moving you to prepayment
This advice applies to England. See advice for See advice for Northern Ireland, See advice for Scotland, See advice for Wales
Your gas or electricity supplier might tell you they’re going to move you to prepayment if you owe them money.
If your supplier is trying to move you to prepayment, they must follow rules set by the energy regulator, Ofgem.
If you’re behind with your gas and electricity bills, your supplier might either:
install a smart meter in prepayment mode
remotely switch your smart meter to prepayment mode
If you don’t want a smart meter you can ask your supplier to install a non-smart prepayment meter, but it might not be possible.
When your supplier won’t move you to prepayment
Your supplier won’t move you to prepayment if:
your debt is less than £200 for electricity and less than £200 for gas
it’s been less than 3 months since the bill was issued
you disagree with the bill amount and you’ve told them why, for example, the bill is for a previous tenant
Which energy suppliers can force you onto prepayment
Energy suppliers must show Ofgem, the energy regulator, they can follow the new prepayment rules.
Only then will they be allowed to forcibly install prepayment meters or remotely switch smart meters to prepayment mode.
Check which suppliers are allowed to move you to prepayment on the Ofgem website.
When you can refuse to be moved to prepayment
Your supplier can’t make you move to prepayment if it wouldn’t be safe or practical.
If you’re aged 75 or older
Tell your supplier moving to prepayment wouldn’t be safe if you’re aged 75 or older and you:
live alone
live with someone, but neither of you can safely get to, work or top up your prepayment meter
If you live with young children
Tell your supplier if a child under 2 years old lives in your home - your supplier can’t force you onto prepayment.
If you’re disabled or have a health condition
If you’re disabled or have a health condition and you don’t think it would be safe for you to be on prepayment, you should tell your supplier immediately.
You can refuse to move to prepayment if you or someone in your home has a:
health condition or disability which needs a continuous supply of electricity - for example, you use a stair lift or take medication which needs to be kept in a fridge
health condition which is made worse by a cold home - for example, sickle cell disease
severe or terminal health condition - for example, COPD or cancer
You can refuse to move to prepayment if you have a health condition or disability which makes it difficult to reach, work or top up a prepayment meter. You can only refuse if there’s no one else in the home who can help.
If you can’t afford to top up
If you run out of gas or electricity because you can't top up your meter, this is called 'self-disconnecting'. Tell your supplier that you'd have to self-disconnect if you had a prepayment meter.
Tell your supplier if you can’t afford to top up and you or anyone in your home:
is pregnant or has a child aged between 2 and 5 years old
has a long term health condition, for example, Parkinson’s or osteoporosis
has a mental health condition
has had a recent bereavement
has a health condition which is made worse if they can’t eat hot food - for example, malnutrition
You should tell your supplier how your situation will be made worse if you’re forcibly moved onto prepayment - give them as much detail as you’re comfortable with.
Your supplier will use this to work out the risk to you if you’re moved to prepayment - or anyone in your home.
If your supplier thinks it’s safe for you to move to prepayment and you disagree, you should complain. Check how to complain to your supplier.
Working out your budget
It might help if you can show your supplier how much you have left each month after paying essential bills and priority debts. If you’re close to a negative budget it might mean your supplier won't force you to move to prepayment.
A negative budget means you have more money going out than you have coming in every month.
Try and be as accurate as you can when making your budget. Before you start, find your most recent:
bank statements
payslips
debit and credit card statements and bills
receipts for things you pay for in cash
Use the budget on the National Debtline website. You’ll create a document that you can keep.
Make sure you save a copy - you’ll need to refer to this later. You’ll also need to send a copy to your energy supplier.
If you need help managing money you owe your energy supplier or anybody else, check our debt advice.
If you’ve agreed a repayment plan
If you have a repayment plan and you’re making the agreed payments to your supplier, they can’t move you onto prepayment. This also applies if you’re in the process of setting up a repayment plan.
If you’re struggling to afford the repayment amounts you agreed, you can ask your supplier to lower the amount you're paying.
If you can’t get to or top up your meter
Your supplier can’t move you to prepayment if you can’t get to your meter or if it would be too hard for you to top up. Tell your supplier if you can’t:
reach your current meter - for example, if it's above head height and you’re disabled
get to your current meter - for example, if it’s in a shared cupboard you don’t have a key for
easily top up your meter - for example, if you don’t have a car and the nearest shop is over 2 miles away or you don’t have access to the internet to top up online
There might be ways around problems like these, for example, someone else in the home could reach or top up your meter. Your supplier might be able to move your meter or let you top up over the phone.
Check your supplier is following the rules
Your supplier has to follow rules set by Ofgem, the energy regulator. Before they install a prepayment meter or switch the mode of your smart meter to prepayment, your supplier must:
attempt to contact you 10 times - they might write, email or call you
visit your home to check it’s safe and practical for you to be on prepayment
offer you other ways to repay money you owe - for example, a repayment plan or payments through your benefits
If your supplier only has your postal address, they don’t have to contact you 10 times.
How your supplier will contact you
Your supplier will contact you using the details on your account - make sure your supplier has all your current contact details. This includes your current address, phone number and email.
Tell your supplier if you need to be contacted in an accessible format - for example, Braille or large print.
You shouldn’t ignore your supplier when they contact you. If you’re worried because you owe them money, they should work with you to create a repayment plan you can afford.
Contact the Citizens Advice consumer service if you need more help - a trained adviser can give you advice over the phone or online chat.
Check if something is an energy scam
Some scammers are pretending to be from energy companies to get your personal information.
If you think something might be a scam:
don’t give out any personal information or bank details
don’t use any contact details from the possible scam
Complain to your supplier
If your supplier is trying to move you to prepayment and you don’t think they should, contact them and explain your situation. They should check what support they can offer you.
Tell them anything which might make things more difficult for you to use a prepayment meter, for example, if you’re recovering from an injury. You should also tell them if you live with anyone who is:
aged 16 and under
aged 65 and older
If you run out of gas or electricity because you can't top up your meter, this is called 'self-disconnecting'. Tell your supplier that you'd have to self-disconnect if you had a prepayment meter.
If your supplier still wants to move you to prepayment after you’ve contacted them, you should make a complaint to get them to change their mind. Check how to complain to your energy supplier.
Check how your supplier will move you to prepayment
If none of the reasons on this page apply to you, and your supplier follows the rules, they’re allowed to make you move to prepayment.
If you have a smart meter
Your supplier must give you 7 working days’ notice before they remotely switch your smart meter to prepayment mode.
A working day is any day from Monday to Friday that isn’t a bank holiday. For example, Good Friday isn’t a working day.
If you don't have a smart meter
Your supplier will ask for permission to enter your home and install a smart meter in prepayment mode.
If you don’t let your supplier install a meter, they can apply to the court for permission to enter your home and install one. This permission is called a warrant.
Your supplier should let you know if they're going to apply for a warrant. They should tell you at least 21 days before they apply.
Contact your supplier as soon as possible if they didn't:
contact you before applying for the warrant
visit your home to check it’s suitable for prepayment
offer you other ways to repay the money you owe
tell you at least 21 days before they apply for the warrant
Your supplier might:
agree to stop their application for a warrant
arrange for you to join the court hearing where they apply for the warrant - you’ll usually join by video call
You can tell the judge about any rules your supplier hasn’t followed and why a prepayment meter isn’t suitable.
Contact the Citizens Advice consumer service if you need more help - a trained adviser can give you advice over the phone or online chat.
If the court gives your supplier a warrant
Your supplier has 28 days to use the warrant. This starts from the day the court gives them the warrant.
Before your supplier uses the warrant to install a meter, they must give you notice.
If they want to install a gas meter, they must give you at least 7 days’ notice.
If they want to install an electricity meter, they must give you at least 7 working days’ notice.
A working day is any day from Monday to Friday that isn’t a bank holiday. For example, Good Friday isn’t a working day.
Your supplier can add the cost of the warrant to the money you owe them - this could be up to £150. Your supplier can’t charge you if:
you find it extremely difficult to talk to your supplier - for example, you have a mental health condition, disability or recently suffered a bereavement
you’re already in debt and struggling with living costs, for example, you have more money going out than you have coming in
Contact the Citizens Advice consumer service if you need more help - a trained adviser can give you advice over the phone or online chat.
Get a break from being contacted by your energy supplier
If you need more time to decide what to do about the money you owe, you can apply for a scheme called Breathing Space.
If you’re eligible, you could get 60 days of breathing space where companies you owe money to can’t:
contact you
take action to make you pay
add interest and charges to your debt
Your energy supplier won’t be able to install a prepayment meter during the 60 days, unless you’ve already agreed to let them install it.
To see if breathing space is right for you, talk to an adviser.
Get extra help from your energy supplier
If there's a reason moving to prepayment would be hard for you, apply to be put on the Priority Services Register. If you're on the register, your supplier has to give you extra help with your energy supply.
You can sign up if you're either:
of State Pension age
disabled or have a long-term health condition
considered ‘vulnerable’ by your energy network
You could be classed as vulnerable if you're disabled or have a long-term health condition. Your energy network might also consider you vulnerable if you:
don't speak or read English well
have children under 5 years old or are pregnant
have no sense of smell or would struggle to smell gas
Check if you're eligible to sign up to the Priority Services Register.
If you’re on the Priority Services Register your energy supplier can:
make your call a priority when you contact them
give their engineers a password if they visit or contact you - so you know they’re genuine
move your prepayment meter if you struggle to get to it
Signing up to the Priority Services Register
You’ll need to fill out the form on your electricity operator’s website - this is who owns and operates the electricity cables in your area. Your electricity operator is different from your electricity supplier, who sends your bills.
You can check who your electricity network operator is on the Power Cut 105 website. You'll need to know the postcode of your property.
Further help
Contact the Citizens Advice consumer service if you need more help - a trained adviser can give you advice over the phone or online chat.
If you’re in debt, you might be able to get financial help with paying for your energy.
You can also get help with debt.
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