Citizens Advice has set out the findings of its January 2023 report "Kept in the dark", which examined the scale of self-disconnection among households on prepayment meters. The charity's statement came in response to the conclusion of Ofgem's investigation into prepayment meter installation by British Gas1.
The report found that more than 2 million people were being disconnected from their energy supply at least once a month. Among prepayment customers who had been disconnected in the past year, 1 in 5 (19%) said they had disconnected for more than 24 hours at least once. One in 3 (33%) people on prepayment meters said they had disconnected at least once in the past year because they could not afford to top up, which Citizens Advice equated to more than 3 million people, or 1 person every 10 seconds1.
Dame Clare Moriarty, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice, said the report revealed how suppliers were forcing prepayment meters on some of the most vulnerable households. She said many of those affected were left without heat in the depths of winter because they could not afford to top up, and that those people deserve real compensation1.
"Today's settlement with British Gas shows that kind of behaviour has serious consequences."
The charity said it helped 2.71 million people face to face, over the phone, by email and webchat in 2024-25, and recorded 44 million visits to its website. It describes itself as the statutory consumer advocate for energy and postal markets, and its network of charities offers impartial advice online, over the phone and in person, working at over 1,900 locations across England, Wales and the Channel Islands1. The consumer service can be reached on 0808 223 1133, or 0808 223 1144 for Welsh language speakers1.
Why it matters for households
Self-disconnection happens when a prepayment meter runs out of credit and the supply stops. The figures describe how often that happened and for how long: a fifth of those who disconnected in the past year went more than 24 hours without supply at least once, and a third disconnected because they could not afford to top up1. Losing supply means no heating, no hot water and no cooking until credit is added.
For a household's energy independence, the practical point is control. A prepayment meter ties supply to topping up, so an interruption in income or an unexpected cost can cut supply the same day. The report's figures cover disconnection caused by affordability rather than by fault or network failure1. The mechanics of emergency credit and topping up are set out in the site's guide to prepayment meters, and the process by which meters are installed under warrant is covered in disconnection, warrants and forced prepayment installation. Where debt sits behind a meter, repayment is dealt with in repaying energy debt through a prepayment meter.
What happens next
Citizens Advice said Ofgem must ensure the closure of its investigation into British Gas is a step forward, not the final word, and that the settlement helps deliver compensation to those affected1. No further dates or next steps have been reported.