Stop your energy supplier moving you to prepayment
This advice applies to Scotland. See advice for See advice for England, See advice for Northern Ireland, See advice for Wales
Your gas or electricity supplier might tell you they’re going to move you to prepayment if you owe them money.
If your supplier is trying to move you to prepayment, they must follow rules set by the energy regulator, Ofgem.
If you’re behind with your gas and electricity bills, your supplier might either:
install a smart meter in prepayment mode
remotely switch your smart meter to prepayment mode
If you don’t want a smart meter you can ask your supplier to install a non-smart prepayment meter.
If your energy supplier is trying to force you onto prepayment
The energy company regulator, Ofgem, has asked all suppliers to pause forced and remotely switched prepayment installations until they have agreed on a new set of guidelines.
Complain to your supplier if they’re trying to force you onto prepayment
When you can refuse to be moved to prepayment
Your supplier can’t make you move to prepayment if it wouldn’t be safe or practical.
If you’re aged 85 or older
Tell your supplier moving to prepayment wouldn’t be safe if you’re aged 85 or older and:
live alone
live with someone, but neither of you can safely get to, work or top up your prepayment meter
If you’re disabled or have a health condition
If you’re disabled or have a health condition and you don’t think it would be safe for you to be on prepayment, you should tell your supplier immediately.
You can refuse to move to prepayment if you or someone in your home has a:
health condition or disability which makes it difficult to reach, work or top up a prepayment meter
health condition or disability which needs a continuous supply of electricity - for example, you use a stair lift or take medication which needs to be kept in a fridge
health condition which is made worse by a cold home - for example, sickle cell disease
severe or terminal health condition - for example, cancer or organ failure
If you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
If you have COPD you might have:
chronic bronchitis
emphysema
If you have COPD but you’re not sure if you have chronic bronchitis or emphysema, speak to your GP or specialist to check.
It’s important to tell your supplier if you have chronic bronchitis or emphysema. If you have one of these conditions your supplier can’t move you to prepayment.
If you can’t afford to top up
Your supplier can’t move you to prepayment if you can’t afford to top up and you or anyone in your home:
is aged 75 or older
is pregnant or has children aged 5 and under
has a long term health condition, for example, Parkinson’s or osteoporosis
has a mental health condition
has had a recent bereavement
If you run out of gas or electricity because you can't top up your meter, this is called 'self-disconnecting'. Tell your supplier that you'd have to self-disconnect if you had a prepayment meter.
It might help if you can show your supplier you’ve worked out your budget. If you’re close to a negative budget it might mean your supplier won't force you to move to prepayment.
A negative budget means you have more money going out than you have coming in every month. Being close to a negative budget might mean you don’t have enough money left over to pay for higher energy costs in winter.
If your supplier still says you have to move to prepayment, talk to an adviser.
If you need help managing money you owe to your energy supplier or anybody else, check our debt advice.
Work out your budget
Work out a budget so you know how much you have left each month after paying your essential bills and priority debts.
Make sure you save a copy of your budget - you’ll need to refer to this later. You’ll also need to send a copy to your energy supplier.
Try and be as accurate as you can. Before you start, find your most recent:
bank statements
payslips
debit and credit card statements and bills
receipts for things you pay for in cash
Use the budget calculator on the National Debtline website. You’ll create a financial document that you can keep.
If you can’t get to or top up your meter
Your supplier can’t move you to prepayment if you can’t get to your meter or if it would be too hard for you to top up. Tell your supplier if you can’t:
reach your current meter - for example, if it's above head height and you’re disabled
get to your current meter - for example, if it’s in a shared cupboard you don’t have a key for
easily top up your meter - for example, if you don’t have a car and the nearest shop is over 2 miles away or you don’t have access to the internet to top up online
There might be ways around problems like these, for example, someone else in the home could reach or top up your meter. Your supplier might be able to move your meter or let you top up over the phone.
Check your supplier is following the rules
Your supplier has to follow rules set by Ofgem, the energy regulator. These rules mean your supplier must:
attempt to contact you 10 times before installing a prepayment meter or switching your smart meter to prepayment mode - they might write, email or call you
give you 7 working days notice before installing a prepayment meter or remotely switching you to prepayment
visit your home to check it’s safe and practical before installing a prepayment meter or remotely switching you to prepayment
offer you other ways to repay money you owe - for example, a repayment plan or payments through your benefits
Your supplier won’t move you onto prepayment if:
your debt is less than £200 for electricity and less than £200 for gas
it’s been less than 3 months since the bill was issued
you disagree with the bill amount and you’ve told them why, for example, the bill is for a previous tenant
Complain to your supplier
If your supplier is trying to move you to prepayment and you don’t think they should, contact them and explain your situation. They should check what support they can offer you.
Tell them anything which might make things more difficult for you to use a prepayment meter, for example, if you’re recovering from an injury. You should also tell them if you live with anyone who is:
aged 16 and under
aged 65 and older
If you run out of gas or electricity because you can't top up your meter, this is called 'self-disconnecting'. Tell your supplier that you'd have to self-disconnect if you had a prepayment meter.
If your supplier still wants to move you to prepayment after you’ve contacted them, you should make a complaint to get them to change their mind. Check how to complain to your energy supplier.
You could pay more if you refuse without a reason
If none of the reasons on this page apply to you, and your supplier follows the rules, they’re allowed to make you move to prepayment.
If you don't agree to this, they can get a warrant to enter your home and install a prepayment meter.
They’ll add the cost of the warrant to the money you owe them - this could be up to £150. Your supplier can’t charge you if:
you find it extremely difficult to talk to your supplier - for example, you have a mental health condition, disability or recently suffered a bereavement
you’re already in debt and struggling with living costs, for example, you have more money going out than you have coming in
Check if something is an energy scam
Some scammers are pretending to be from energy companies to get your personal information.
If you think something might be a scam:
don’t give out any personal information or bank details
don’t use any contact details from the possible scam
Get extra help from your energy supplier
If there's a reason moving to prepayment would be hard for you, apply to be put on the Priority Services Register. If you're on the register, your supplier has to give you extra help with your energy supply.
You can sign up if you're either:
of State Pension age
disabled or have a long-term health condition
considered ‘vulnerable’ by your energy network
You could be classed as vulnerable if you're disabled or have a long-term health condition. Your energy network might also consider you vulnerable if you:
don't speak or read English well
have children under 5 years old or are pregnant
have no sense of smell or would struggle to smell gas
Check if you're eligible to sign up to the Priority Services Register.
If you’re on the Priority Services Register your energy supplier can:
make your call a priority when you contact them
give their engineers a password if they visit or contact you - so you know they’re genuine
move your prepayment meter if you struggle to get to it
Signing up to the Priority Services Register
You’ll need to fill out the form on your electricity operator’s website - this is who owns and operates the electricity cables in your area. Your electricity operator is different from your electricity supplier, who sends your bills.
You can check who your electricity network operator is on the Power Cut 105 website. You'll need to know the postcode of your property.
Further help
If your supplier is going to install an old-style prepayment meter, find out what to expect.
If you need more advice about stopping your supplier from making you move to prepayment, contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau or Advice Direct Scotland's energy advice service.
If you’re in debt, you might be able to get financial help with paying for your energy.
You can also get help with debt.