The Times published an undercover investigation on 1 February 2023 into the forced prepayment meter practices of major energy suppliers, including British Gas1. The reporting escalated a scandal that had begun with earlier media investigations in December 2022, which revealed the scale of forced prepayment meter installations and mass court warrants1. Forced prepayment meters are installed when a supplier uses a court warrant or remote smart-meter switching to move a household onto pay-as-you-go energy without consent, usually because of debt; when credit runs out, supply stops, leading to self-disconnection1.
In early 2023, after the Times reporting, energy firms agreed to a voluntary pause on forced prepayment meter installations, which campaigners said did not go far enough, and Ofgem launched compliance reviews and enforcement investigations1. Formalised Ofgem rules replaced the voluntary commitment from 8 November 20231. In 2024, some suppliers were allowed to resume forced installations under revised rules1. Ofgem announced redress and compensation schemes, but major enforcement cases continue1.
Three years on, the position is unresolved. The 1st February 2026 marked the third anniversary of the Times undercover investigation into British Gas, and the Ofgem investigation into the firm is still ongoing, with the regulator unable to confirm when it will be completed1. Nine energy suppliers have resumed forced prepayment meter installations, and energy debt stands at over £4.5bn1. In 2025, fresh reporting revealed that large batches of warrants were being approved; in some cases hundreds of warrants were authorised after only a small sample was reviewed, and even when errors were identified in some applications, the rest were approved in bulk1. Following these revelations, the Chief Magistrate launched a formal review of the warrant process in England1.
"It is beyond belief that more than three years after the forced prepayment meter scandal first broke, families are still facing forced entry into their homes under a court process that is now itself under formal investigation."
"9 energy suppliers have resumed forced prepayment meter installations. Others may yet restart. It is a worrying time for those in debt to their energy supplier, debt that stands at over £4.5bn."
| Point in time | Development |
|---|---|
| December 2022 | Media investigations reveal scale of forced installations and mass court warrants1 |
| 1 February 2023 | Times undercover investigation into British Gas published1 |
| Early 2023 | Voluntary pause agreed; Ofgem launches compliance reviews and enforcement investigations1 |
| 8 November 2023 | Formalised Ofgem rules replace the voluntary commitment1 |
| 2024 | Some suppliers allowed to resume forced installations under revised rules1 |
| 2025 | Energy debt reaches new highs; Chief Magistrate launches formal review of the warrant process in England1 |
| 1 February 2026 | Third anniversary of the Times investigation; Ofgem investigation into British Gas still ongoing1 |
Why it matters for households
A forced prepayment meter changes how a home pays for energy and what happens when money runs short. Under the arrangement described, supply stops when credit runs out, which is self-disconnection1. The concerns raised include risk to vulnerable households, among them disabled people, those on the Priority Services Register and people living in cold, damp homes1. The warrant process itself has been criticised for lack of transparency, bulk processing and procedural failings, with warrants approved in private and limited records available1. For a household in debt, the practical effect is that the point at which energy can be cut off moves from a supplier decision to a meter with no credit. The rules governing when a supplier can force a meter on a household are set out in the forced prepayment meter rules, and the protections for vulnerable customers are covered under prepayment meters and vulnerable customer protections. What happens when a meter runs out is explained in self-disconnection, and the mechanics of topping up and emergency credit in prepayment meters. Repayment of debt through a meter is set out in repaying energy debt through a prepayment meter, and grants for energy debt in the British Gas Energy Trust.
What happens next
The Chief Magistrate's formal review of the warrant process in England is under way1. The Ofgem investigation into British Gas remains ongoing, with no confirmed completion date1. Campaigners continue to call for a full ban on forced prepayment meters until the justice process is proven transparent, lawful and safe1.
Sources1 cited
- Three years on - the forced prepayment meters scandal remains unresolved, endfuelpoverty.org.uk