'All our money is going on it'
Michael Regan is disabled and relies on an electric wheelchair to get around. But he says that didn't stop an energy company forcing him onto a prepayment meter last year after he and his two housemates fell into around £1,000 of arrears.
Michael, who lives in a three bed adapted house in Oldham with two others, said: "We shouldn't be on a prepayment meter because we have equipment that needs charging. I have an electric hospital bed, I've got my wheelchair, but I can't really afford to charge it at the minute so I'm going out less often.
This week Citizens Advice called for a ban on energy companies 'forcing' customers onto prepayment meters because they're struggling to pay bills. The charity estimates that 3.2 million people in Britain ran out of credit on their meter last year, the equivalent of one every 10 seconds. She said: "We've put £60 on it over the last two or three days. Luckily the family help us out, because without that there's no chance we could afford it.
Almost one in five households who ran out of credit last year, went on to spend two days or more without energy supply. The charity is now calling for a total ban on forced prepayment meter installations until new protections are introduced, ensuring households can no longer be fully cut off from gas and electricity.
"New protections are needed to stop people being fully cut off from gas and electricity. Until then, there must be a total ban on energy companies forcing those already at breaking point onto prepayment meters."
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