Which?, Money Saving Expert, National Energy Action, Citizens Advice and Age UK have written a joint letter to energy firms calling on them to take immediate action to ensure traditional prepayment meter customers are able to access government support1. The letter was sent on 20 December 2022, the same day Which? responded to figures showing that a third of the Energy Bill Support Scheme vouchers sent to traditional prepayment customers had still not been redeemed1.
The redemption data comes from the Energy Bills Support Scheme GB: payments (December 2022) data published by the government1. Under the scheme, households on traditional prepayment meters receive their support as vouchers rather than as an automatic credit, so the payment depends on the customer redeeming the voucher through their supplier1.
Sue Davies, Which? Head of Consumer and Food Policy, said:
Davies added that energy firms and the government must urgently investigate why so many customers have not yet accessed the support, and that traditional prepayment meter customers should be prioritised in smart meter roll-outs where appropriate so that financial support can be delivered automatically in future1. She described customers on these prepayment meters as more likely to be vulnerable and on lower incomes1.
Which? said it had recently launched a campaign calling on businesses in essential sectors, including supermarkets, telecoms and energy, to do more to help their customers through the cost of living crisis1. The statement also said that customers on a traditional prepayment meter who have not received their vouchers, or are unsure how to redeem them, should contact their supplier for more information and to make sure the correct contact details are held1.
Why it matters for households
For homes on a traditional prepayment and Pay As You Go tariff, the government's support does not arrive on its own. It has to be claimed, in the form of a voucher that is then redeemed. Where that step is missed, delayed or the voucher does not reach the household, the money stays unspent, and the home goes without support it is entitled to during the colder months. That is the gap the five organisations have asked suppliers to close.
The practical effect is a difference in how help with energy bills reaches a household: automatically for those on standard credit or smart prepayment, and by customer action for those on older prepayment meters. The unredeemed vouchers also sit against the wider question of energy bills and energy independence, since support that is not drawn down does not reduce a household's exposure to the cost of the energy it uses.
The figures cover Great Britain. Northern Ireland operates a separate market and separate support arrangements, and no equivalent redemption figure for Northern Ireland appears in the material published on 20 December 20221.
What happens next
The joint letter asks energy firms to take immediate action1. No deadline, response date or commitment from any supplier has been reported1. Which? has also called for an urgent investigation by firms and government into why so many customers have not accessed the support, and for traditional prepayment customers to be prioritised in smart meter roll-outs where appropriate1. No timetable for either has been reported1.