To think it is amoral of energy suppliers to charge the least well off the highest tarif?

[frumpet]

I have known this for years and do not have a prepaid meter myself , but aibu to be disgusted on others behalf?

The thing is the pre-pay meters cost so much more that people are not heating their homes to the extent they become unhealthy.

My mum lives in a 2 bed semi, I was in a 1 bed, ground floor flat. My mum has her heating on almost constant, too much tbh. I would have mine off as much possible, especially if it was only me there. Even when I had it on it was only heating the place to about 18C not hot like my mum had it. However, my mum's monthly gas bill was £14 less than my weekly outgoing on gas. Completely disproportionate imo.

Add to that that poorer people are less likely to own their homes and even if they do are unlikely to be able to do anything about improving windows, insulation etc. They ARE penalised for being poor.

Just to add to the poster who said those on low incomes get cold weather payments - you actually ONLY get a cold weather payment if you are on a low income AND have a child under 5 years old, a disabled child or are on a pension.

Not everyone on a low income gets them.

My ex gets cold weather payments, he is on income support and has a disability but no child under 5

Yes I agree a bloody outrage - why should the least well off pay the highest tariffs on the basics of life i.e. utilities and any other consumer related expenditure requiring credit. It's really unfair and winds me up and makes me sad for struggling people. That and not being able to feed their families decent food on a budget.

Ebico Ebico Ebico

No standing charge

Same unit price for those on meters as for those on DD

Only one handed right now due to baby so no link but google them

QOFE - you beat me to it!

www.ebico.org.uk/

I used to have a pre-payment meter.

It was in when I moved in.

I have had it removed. Who are you all with? I waswith npower and if you kick up a fuss, put in a complaint and generally make a pest of yourself, they will take it out for free.

(oh and I meant take it out for free- can be done!)

And if people are on a very low income, they get cold weather payments, so they don't even have to pay for their own heating.

How ignorant.

No they don't. Only certain groups of people get assistance with payments.

It may be a business, but it has no right to charge the exorbitant rate they do. A lot of people with pre paid meters are in rented accomodation and move in to a house or flat that has a pre payment meter. They have no choice and may not have a bad credit rating, just be poor. There is no shame in being poor. There is huge amount of shame in making people pay more, just because they are poor.

It is immoral.

Ok, who is this Ebico??!! I am intrigued, but have never heard of them!

Until I moved in with my mum Is survived financially by not putting the heating on, it was not pleasant and this was when the temperatures outside were at least 10C. I dread to think what it could have been like in the middle of winter. Oh and BTW I paid for what I did use for hot water from my salary that I earned by going to work so I did pay it myself. I wasn't entitled to cold weather payment or any other benefit despite a low income.