British Gas halts forced pre-payment policy over vulnerable people reports

• Published date: 02 February 2023
• Publication title: Malay Mail Online

British Gas said it will temporarily stop using court orders that permit the forced installation of pre-payment meters in people's homes after a damning report in The Times newspaper said the practise was being used against vulnerable people.

The court warrants obtained by British Gas can be used by a contractor to break into the homes of customers who have fallen behind on their bills to install pre-payment meters, meaning they could have their heating cut off if they did not pay.

Some of the customers being affected were vulnerable people, the Times said, citing instances of a mother with a four week-old baby, a woman with mental health problems and a woman with a disabled daughter.

Britain's business minister Grant Shapps said he was 'horrified' by the report and the government would hold meetings with the firm's parent company Centrica to investigate what he called a 'systemic failure'.

Centrica said in a statement that it would suspend the installation of pre-payment meters by court...