With winter just around the corner, many are worried they won’t be able to afford to pay their bills.
MoneySavingExpert, Martin Lewis, has revealed what you can do if you’re struggling. If you are worried about paying bills, the first thing you should do is speak to your supplier.
According to research from Citizens Advice, five million people are in debt to their energy supplier. One in four say they will have to turn off heating this winter to afford costs.
Your supplier has an obligation to help you so it’s important to contact them as soon as possible. The first thing it usually does is to negotiate a payment plan that you can afford.
Suppliers may offer a payment plan review, payment breaks, payment reductions, or more time to pay.
It is important to note there are now strict rules for forced installations of prepayment metres. There is now a ban on forcibly installing metres for certain vulnerable customers.
Also, as part of the new rules, vulnerability and affordability assessments must be carried out before force-fitting a prepayment metre for certain homes.
These measures are just two of a list to ensure forced installations happen in a regulated and fair manner.
However, suppliers are still able to force you to have a prepayment metre but it should only be the last resort to avoid disconnecting you. Your supplier should have explored all other options to recover the debt first.
If you are on a prepayment metre, your supplier is still obliged to help you.
All suppliers offer small amounts of emergency credit – this is usually around £5 on your gas and electricity metre.
If you are vulnerable, you should get on the Priority Services Register. It is a free support service operated by energy suppliers and network operators.
The service may be for you if you are of state pension age, have children under the age of five, or have a long-term medical condition.
The service will provide you with details of planned power cuts and can provide support in an emergency.
After cuts to the Winter Fuel Payment, if you are affected, you may be eligible for help.
