700,000 with pre-payment meter forced to turn off energy as price cap soars - how to get grants
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Last winter, around 700,000 Brits with pre-payment meters (PPMs) were forced to switch off their energy at least once, according to alarming figures. Now, Brits are gearing up for another tough season of spiking energy bills, following the announcement of a new energy price cap earlier this week.
Ofgem's latest cap sets energy bills at £1,738 annually for an average household using both electricity and gas and paying by Direct Debit. This represents a concerning rise of 1.2% from the previous cap of £1,717 that was in place from October 1 to December 31, 2024.
Amidst these stresses, the Resolution Foundation recently told the Express: "Self-disconnection is not only a route to feeling cold and being unable to wash or shower, but is also linked to emotional impacts such as financial stress – especially when caused by a wait for benefits payments – and feeling shame or embarrassment.
"But even when PPM customers are disconnected from the grid, bills continue to rack up. Standing charges accrue regardless of energy use, and if there is no money on the meter to pay for them then they quickly turn into arrears. This frequently adds to already-existing debts which is often the reason households are moved onto PPMs in the first place.".
It's thought that four million UK households that rely on PPMs will need to allocate over 30% of their income just to cover energy costs in the coming winter months. . To make matters worse, over half of these PPM households are already in debt to their energy providers, leaving them with even less credit for vital energy needs.
