Petitions

People on pre-payment meters live in precarious situations. They can only have gas and electricity if they have money to feed the meter, otherwise they must freeze in the dark, yet the energy companies are forcing the poorest among us on to money guzzling pre-payment meters with the assistance of the courts, which are rubber-stamping warrants at an alarming rate. One court in the north of England reportedly approved 496 warrants in three minutes. One of the conditions of the Ofgem licence is that the energy companies must identify those classed as vulnerable because they should not be disconnected, but clearly that is all too often ignored.

The petition states:

The petition of residents of the United Kingdom,

Declares that energy suppliers, despite licensing conditions set out by the regulator Ofgem stipulating that suppliers should only put households onto pre-payment meters when it is ‘safe and reasonably practicable to do so’, are forcibly transferring customers in debt on standard credit or direct debit accounts to pre-payment meters, disregarding their obligations to identify and support vulnerable persons and households; notes one court in the North of England approved 496 warrants to forcibly install pre-payment meters in just 3 minutes; recognises the risk of ‘self-disconnection’ from energy supplies for vulnerable households in energy debt who are forcibly transferred to a pre-payment meter; notes that those new pre-payment meter customers who have become so through financial difficulties, will now pay higher standing charges and unit rates when compared to standard credit or direct debit accounts.

The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to issue a ban on the forced installation of pre-payment meters by court warrant; further urges the Government to make compulsory the requirement to ensure that detailed checks are carried out regarding customers’ vulnerability prior to any discussion about a voluntary option of using prepayment meters and that sanctions are in place and enforced against those companies who do not.

And the petitioners remain, etc.

[P002793]

The benefit cap, which was introduced by the British Government in 2013, blocks households from getting all the help they are entitled to from the social security system, as it does not generally rise with inflation. Indeed, figures show that households outside London lose out on a massive £1,800 a year compared with what they would have got if the cap had risen with prices. The SNP want to see the benefit cap abolished entirely, which is reflected back to me by my constituents, particularly in Parkhead and Lilybank, where this petition originated.

The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to grant time for the Second Reading of the Benefit Cap (Report on Abolition) Bill and commit to passing all stages of my Bill in the House.

[P002794]