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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Energy bills: What can I do if I can't afford to pay? | Energy bills: What can I do if I can't afford to pay? |
| (about 20 hours later) | |
| Energy prices will fall in April, but many households will still struggle to pay their bills. | Energy prices will fall in April, but many households will still struggle to pay their bills. |
| Some will need to repay debt to suppliers and many will worry about future levels of financial support. | Some will need to repay debt to suppliers and many will worry about future levels of financial support. |
| What is happening to energy bills? | What is happening to energy bills? |
| From April, energy bills will fall by more than 12% for most people in England, Scotland and Wales. | From April, energy bills will fall by more than 12% for most people in England, Scotland and Wales. |
| Energy regulator Ofgem recently announced the average household paying for dual fuel by direct debit will pay £1,690 a year. | Energy regulator Ofgem recently announced the average household paying for dual fuel by direct debit will pay £1,690 a year. |
| That's a drop of £238 (or about £20 a month) from the previous energy price cap - the maximum amount suppliers can charge for each unit of gas and electricity used. | That's a drop of £238 (or about £20 a month) from the previous energy price cap - the maximum amount suppliers can charge for each unit of gas and electricity used. |
| It's the lowest level in more than two years, a period when energy prices soared due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. | It's the lowest level in more than two years, a period when energy prices soared due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. |
| What is the Ofgem energy price cap and how much are bills going down? | What is the Ofgem energy price cap and how much are bills going down? |
| How many people can't pay their energy bills? | How many people can't pay their energy bills? |
| About 5.3m people in Great Britain are in debt to their energy supplier, research by Citizens Advice suggests. | About 5.3m people in Great Britain are in debt to their energy supplier, research by Citizens Advice suggests. |
| The charity says 1.7m people lost connection at least once a month in 2023 because they couldn't afford to top up their prepayment meter. | The charity says 1.7m people lost connection at least once a month in 2023 because they couldn't afford to top up their prepayment meter. |
| Its survey found that 800,000 people went more than 24 hours without gas and electricity because they couldn't afford to top up. | Its survey found that 800,000 people went more than 24 hours without gas and electricity because they couldn't afford to top up. |
| It estimated that 2m people would lose their power supply for the same reason between January and March 2024. | It estimated that 2m people would lose their power supply for the same reason between January and March 2024. |
| What happens if you don't pay your bill? | What happens if you don't pay your bill? |
| Under Ofgem rules, your supplier must work with you to agree a payment plan. | Under Ofgem rules, your supplier must work with you to agree a payment plan. |
| If you don't agree one,they might try to force you to have prepayment meter installed or switch an existing smart meter to prepayment mode. | If you don't agree one,they might try to force you to have prepayment meter installed or switch an existing smart meter to prepayment mode. |
| In very rare cases, if you haven't paid a bill after 28 days, you might be threatened with disconnection. | In very rare cases, if you haven't paid a bill after 28 days, you might be threatened with disconnection. |
| If you've reached state pension age, your supplier can't disconnect you between 1 October and 31 March if you either: | If you've reached state pension age, your supplier can't disconnect you between 1 October and 31 March if you either: |
| live alone | live alone |
| live only with pensioners, or under-18s | live only with pensioners, or under-18s |
| Suppliers can pass your details to a debt collection agency - and you might be charged more to cover the cost of this. | Suppliers can pass your details to a debt collection agency - and you might be charged more to cover the cost of this. |
| Many suppliers also charge extra fees for late payments. | Many suppliers also charge extra fees for late payments. |
| Non-payment could also damage your credit rating and make it harder to borrow money in the future. | Non-payment could also damage your credit rating and make it harder to borrow money in the future. |
| Can I be forced to have a prepayment meter? | Can I be forced to have a prepayment meter? |
| Suppliers can install a prepayment meter without a household's permission - but only if they meet certain requirements. | Suppliers can install a prepayment meter without a household's permission - but only if they meet certain requirements. |
| These were brought in after an investigation by The Times found debt agents acting for British Gas wrongly broke into vulnerable people's homes to fit meters. | These were brought in after an investigation by The Times found debt agents acting for British Gas wrongly broke into vulnerable people's homes to fit meters. |
| The rules mean suppliers must give customers more opportunity to clear their debts, contacting them at least 10 times before installing a meter. They also have to conduct a "site welfare visit". | The rules mean suppliers must give customers more opportunity to clear their debts, contacting them at least 10 times before installing a meter. They also have to conduct a "site welfare visit". |
| Meters cannot be fitted for: | Meters cannot be fitted for: |
| customers over 75, without someone else in the home, or anyone with a terminal illness | customers over 75, without someone else in the home, or anyone with a terminal illness |
| people with health conditions that could be worsened by a cold home | people with health conditions that could be worsened by a cold home |
| those with children under the age of two | those with children under the age of two |
| those who need a continuous energy supply for health reasons | those who need a continuous energy supply for health reasons |
| households where no-one can top up the meter due to physical or mental incapacity | households where no-one can top up the meter due to physical or mental incapacity |
| About four million households had a prepayment meter in July 2023, according to Ofgem. | About four million households had a prepayment meter in July 2023, according to Ofgem. |
| Prepayment meters used to be more expensive than paying by direct debit but the charges are now the same. | Prepayment meters used to be more expensive than paying by direct debit but the charges are now the same. |
| What should you do if you can't afford your energy bills? | What should you do if you can't afford your energy bills? |
| If you are struggling to pay your energy bills, you need to contact your supplier. | If you are struggling to pay your energy bills, you need to contact your supplier. |
| You can ask for a review of your payments and debt repayments, payment breaks or reductions, more time to pay and access to hardship funds. | You can ask for a review of your payments and debt repayments, payment breaks or reductions, more time to pay and access to hardship funds. |
| If eligible you could be added to a list of households entitled to extra support, the Priority Services Register. | |
| It doesn't cancel your debts but it does show that you are vulnerable, which your supplier should take into account. | It doesn't cancel your debts but it does show that you are vulnerable, which your supplier should take into account. |
| Ofgem also recommends asking your supplier to add you to the Network Operator Register, if you rely on energy for medical reasons. | Ofgem also recommends asking your supplier to add you to the Network Operator Register, if you rely on energy for medical reasons. |
| Make sure you are claiming relevant benefits and government help. You can check the MoneyHelper benefits guide or use the Entitledto and Turn2us benefits calculators. | Make sure you are claiming relevant benefits and government help. You can check the MoneyHelper benefits guide or use the Entitledto and Turn2us benefits calculators. |
| Pensioners, people on certain disability benefits, and households on means-tested benefits, can get help with energy bills. | Pensioners, people on certain disability benefits, and households on means-tested benefits, can get help with energy bills. |
| Councils can offer help through the Household Support Fund, which has been extended for six months from March 2024. | Councils can offer help through the Household Support Fund, which has been extended for six months from March 2024. |
| Finally, adjusting settings on your boiler can save money. | Finally, adjusting settings on your boiler can save money. |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Personal finance | Personal finance |
| Inflation | Inflation |
| Cost of Living | Cost of Living |
| UK economy | UK economy |
| Energy service companies | Energy service companies |