Why rising use of prepayment meters could be ‘disconnection by back door’

Households that pay as they go' for energy may not be able to afford to top up their meters this winter

Calls are growing for a winter ban on energy suppliers forcing struggling households on to prepayment meters, amid evidence that large numbers of people already can't afford to top them up - leading to disconnection by the back door".

Winter has not even arrived yet, but there is mounting concern about low-income families being left shivering in darkness because they do not have enough money to keep the lights and heating on. Uswitch has today revealed 10,000 households a month are being pushed on to prepay.