To think an affordable electricity supply to your home is a basic right.

[BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz]

Even if it results in people racking up arrears?

I abhor prepay meters for gas and electric. The rates are higher, the meter still has a standing charge on it even if it's not using any actual fuel, the method of obtaining credit is outdated. Often families are having to sit in the dark and cold as they simply do not have the funds to light or warm their home.

Sometimes this lack of funding is due to circumstances outside of their control, sometimes it's inherited from issues in the past, sometimes it's piss poor ability to manage finances well. Whatever the reason.

No one should be without power to their home. And no one should be paying more per unit simply because they are poor.

And there are only so many places Myuser and a deadline six months in advance oh and you have to reapply every year. Nearly forgot, you have to reapply if you move providers too, if they are big enough!
Unlike the OAP payment which is paid to all (you're very welcome Lord Sugar sir)

I can't think of any good reason why utilities should not be nationalised. We should not being making profit from essential services.

@BingPot99 if you weren't paying for internet that would free up your money to pay for other utilities surely? You'd also be able to go online to search for the best price deals for any purchase.

@Iwantacookie my Mum is in the same position, she's been in her flat for nearly 10 years now and can't find a reasonably cost effective way to get rid of her prepayment meter.

Anyone who is on a prepayment meter who is disabled, they must by law change it to a credit meter if you ask them for free. I had a prepayment meter for my gas when I moved in, I contacted them & they changed it for nothing.

@JustAnotherPoster00 @Myusername101 I didn't realise it wasn't paid until March, how absolutely ridiculous! I remember sitting in the freezing cold in multiple layers growing up, but you'd have hoped things would have moved on by now, so heartbreaking to see it hasn't. Hopefully someone (anyone!) who can change things applies some logic to the issue in the future (optimistic I know).

They should not charge extra for prepayment meters however everyone should pay for their fuel otherwise it's a case of the organised people subsidising the chaotic and those who spend money on cigarettes and alcohol. Of course people could do what we do - put on jumpers, to reduce the cost

I agree it shouldn’t cost more than paying by other methods but it’s a cost of living and needs to be paid for. People are expect more and more to be free or subsidised rather than take personal responsibility.

a home is also a basic human right and many people haven't got that either

To be fair, as a nation our energy prices are lower than other EU countries (average cost, link at bottom). People who have less money tend to pay more for everything unfortunately (local shops v large supermarkets, payday loans and rent to own deals and on and on) but some people prefer prepay meters to avoid debt.

www.statista.com/statistics/263492/electricity-prices-in-selected-countries/

@IceCreamAndCandyfloss but not everyone has the luxury of being able to take personal responsibility of making money appear out of thin air. There are plenty of people who genuinely cannot work, and on top of, what could be a disability for example, they are having to go without heating; which at best is uncomfortable, and at worst exasperates their condition. Or those with young children who work but have to make the choice between a warm meal and a warm house. There are plenty of reasons why people don't have the opportunity to put money aside from electricity, despite the media making it seem like everyone who receives support just can't be arsed, and is swimming in money. I also don't think that just because people are, heartbreakingly homeless, that should be used as a justification for unaffordable electricity.

YANBU

I get where you are coming from, I know you never used to be able to be cut off from water supply. But they could leave you with very reduced supply so one v slow running top.

There could be a limited electric supply where you had so many volts (no idea on the science) so enough run a fridge and a light and maybe one other device at a time. Like a TV or kettle or a plug socket. So it wouldn’t be easy but you could at least keep food cold, warm things up, top up a phone or run TV. Just not all at the same time! As things stand you can cut yourself off at any time through lack of money to top up and it’s tough.

It shouldn't cost more, the risk of running up a debt is all but eliminated with a prepayment meter, therefore if anything it should cost less.
But poor people tend to have meters, my HA says we have to have them, and poor people have less choice, less opportunity to save money (I can only have one tariff for instance with every company I've tried) and therefore less of a voice and tend to be told that we just want everything subsidised and for free at the expense of everyone else. Well if I'm paying more for the same service as someone not on a pre payment meter, I'm doing the subsidising aren't I?
It shouldn't be free, it is a cost of living unfortunately, and one that's bitten me in the arse more than once, but it's not right that it's more expensive, that it restricts to one tariff and that people are often trapped in places that have really low efficiency and so need to pay more again for heat at least.
And it's not right that these companies are making billions of pounds profit each year to pay to shareholders while normal people pay through the nose for something that it's incredibly difficult to live without, the way our homes are designed and some restrictions placed on them. I know a few people that aren't allowed open fires for instance.
And a clamp down needs to happen on the companies just deciding to whip debts away from top ups too, or send old customers that were on pre payment meters a 'final bill' when they left the meter in credit.
Npower sent debt collection after me for a final bill, I have photos of the meter the day I left showing it in credit, it took 18 months and an email to the ombudsman to get them to leave me alone.
And this summer I had British Gas apply a debt to my meter - it took a large proportion of my remaining balance of around £20, then £6 of the £10 top up, paid off the emergency and more 'debt' (that the added debt put me into) and left me with shite all again. I had overnight, apparently run up a £450 gas bill, despite being on prepay for years and years - it took 5/6 phonecalls, emails, about £50 (in summer remember, I only needed hot water) in top ups to keep the gas running and weeks before they sent someone out to reset the meter. It wasn't my debt, was never my debt, wasn't on my account as I was repeatedly assured, but was on my meter, so if I wanted gas I had absolutely no choice but to pay the debt to keep my supply on. It was finally removed, and I've had £20 back of the estimated £50 I spent paying off the debt that was nothing to do with me. Every time I get through I get yet another excuse, last one was that hot weather causes the meters to malfunction and add debt. 🤔🙄 Course it does.
I live in fear of it happening in winter because I really would be up shit street.
They should have to have the same procedure as any other debt to take it from a meter to give people chance to get these things sorted when there's mistakes like that.

I can't think of any good reason why utilities should not be nationalised. We should not being making profit from essential services.

State owned monopolies are woefully inefficient and even though they don’t make profit, they are more expensive as they have no incentive to innovate. That’s the economics in a nutshell.

Private utilities are heavily regulated and there is a complex formula which limits the amount they can charge and includes a set amount of profit in percentage terms. Ultimately, they have huge infrastructures and require huge investment so it stands to reason that investors want some return on their profit.

The state is flogging off all kind of investment opportunities to the private sector including schools and hospital buildings. They aren’t about to buy back the utilities.

But yes, it is unfair that people can’t afford basic needs and that the poorest are often charged the worst rates.

I agree I recently switched from prepayment gas and electric to pay monthly and my bill has done from £90 a month to £63. I was on the cheapest pre pay I could find before the change. So now I get internet plus gas and electric for the same price I was paying before.

Is it possible that it costs more on a prepay meter because they are more expensive to run?

Definitely, it's a basic right.

It's shameful and inhumane that some people don't have access to the basics such as this.

It's absolutely not to do with these people being unorganised for the main part, it's systemic inequality. And if a chaotic lifestyle does play a part for some that's very often for reasons beyond their control.

And 'put a jumper on' is a ridiculous comment. Obviously people are sat in bikinis smoking and drinking their money instead of paying their utilities!

@JustAnotherPoster00
Have you checked to see if you are eligible for a free gas central heating boiler and some insulation?

If you are they just need the home owners permission (he’s not going to decline a free asset for his property). There is a government web site about it as my friend was on benefits and got a replacement boiler for free. Make sure it’s the government one you are on so you get the best advice. I don’t know what all you can get but it’s surely worth a look.

I had a situation earlier this year where due to my disability I had zero income coming for a few months and apart from CTC and no means of getting any other benefits.

I was taken to court by the council for council tax arrears and given a liability order.

Had my Water Rate bill passed to a debt collection agency by Thames Water

British Gas were compassionate, to a degree, gave me a few months.

Was harassed by my credit card company (fair enough, but they were the most flexible of the lot)

And I had £32 pounds of debt passed to a debt collection agency on behalf of TV Licence.

In fact TV licence were the worst, they sent a guy to my house 3 times in a month, and despite me explaining my circumstances, explaining I could not throw my TV away, wasn't watching the BBC or iplayer (which I rarely do anyway, as I have Amazon prime) that I was ill, that I had no income, he kept calling and demanded I pay £12 by card immediately to avoid being prosecuted. Clearly though he' d heard it all before and didn't care. £12 was my food budget for the week. You pay to phone TV licence and when I did to get some advice, I waited 1/2 hour and no one picked up. I had to call again the next day.

That was when I concluded that you are punished in this country for being poor.

Of course if there was properties were properly insulated there would be less emissions and less useage required.

Strange timing, the power has just gone out on my road, none of my neighbours know what’s going on or when it will be rectified. We have no hot water, no lights, can’t even use the bloody oven/hob or microwave etc so dinner isn’t happening. Just a few moments of this has really annoyed me, I really feel sorry for anyone having to deal with this regularly as it is horrid.

Aside from the fact that we are talking about real people who are going hungry and who are living in sub standard accommodation in the freezing cold it is a very interesting question.

We're talking about what is right or wrong in a capitalist society when capitalism by its very nature rewards the successful with riches and punishes the 'unsuccessful' with poverty. Fortunately or unfortunately we live in this sort of a society. In theory if we lived in a communist society we would all have equal access to everything but when this has played itself out in the real world it has often meant that everyone goes without most stuff. So I would say that in most capitalist societies you are punished for being poor. Whether you think that is wrong or not has a lot to do with your views on how compassionate the state should be.

So YABU because capitalism isn't compassionate.

It sucks though and by voting for Jeremy Corbyn perhaps we can move closer to actually doing something about this sort of thing.

I don't think everyone should get free electricity. I don't put my heating on until 4pm everyday for when dd gets home and if she's home later I'll put it on after that I then switch it off at 9.

I work from home and live rurally. It's very cold. I put on several jumpers and wear thick slippers and a blanket all very cheap, blanket was second hand and shit tons of tea and coffee. Unless you're disabled you should be able to go out a for a walk etc and get yourself moving. When I'm not wfh I will do this.
What I disagree with though is the government shutting public places like libraries where people can congregate to warm themselves. Much better for the environment and better for society if everyone gets out.
We can't keep on with the thought that everything should land on our laps. It's a common theme in the U.K. that isn't the case in most other countries. I never had heating growing up and I'm sure it helps keep you slim as well.
The exception as I say is the disabled and more vulnerable. Most healthy dc are more than ok to be wrapped up in clothes and get on with it. How can you expect someone else to pay for your heating bill. I also think the free internet idea is a load bollocks
We should be educating people so they're not poor ffs. Full investment in schooling and prevention of crime would reduce the number of people in poverty in the longer term at least.