Ofgem published a discussion paper on 28 October 2026 beginning a review of the rules energy suppliers must follow when they install a prepayment meter to recover debt without a customer's agreement. The call for input closes on 23 December 2026, and the regulator states that no decisions have been made.
The paper sets out what Ofgem says it has learned about how the rules work in practice and the issues it wants to explore. Ofgem says the rules were strengthened in 2023 to protect people who could be at greatest risk of harm, and that it wants to make sure strong protections remain in place for people who need them while allowing suppliers to prevent and recover debt in a fair and proportionate way. The evidence and views received will feed into detailed policy options for consultation at a later stage.
"We are beginning a discussion about the rules energy suppliers must follow when they install a prepayment meter to recover debt without a customer's agreement."
The call for input lists five areas on which Ofgem welcomes views and evidence:
| Area for views and evidence |
|---|
| Which consumers should be protected from involuntary prepayment meter installation |
| How suppliers should assess whether a customer can afford to pay |
| Which steps suppliers should follow before installing a prepayment meter |
| How suppliers can verify customers' circumstances sensitively and proportionately |
| Whether the rules should align more closely with voluntary prepayment meter installations and Additional Support Credit |
Ofgem says it would like to hear from consumers, consumer groups and charities, energy suppliers, industry bodies, debt advice organisations, and anyone with experience of prepayment meters, energy debt or vulnerability. Responses should be sent to ConsumerVulnerability@ofgem.gov.uk by 23 December 2026. The discussion paper itself is published as a PDF alongside the call for input page.
The background to the review is the set of prepayment meter and vulnerable customer rules that govern when a supplier can move a household onto prepayment without agreement, and the supplier conduct on prepayment meters and customer debt that applies once a meter is in place. Ofgem's wider role in setting and enforcing these conditions is covered in our guide to what the energy regulator does and what it covers.
Why it matters for households
A prepayment meter changes how a home pays for energy: credit is bought in advance, and supply can be interrupted when the balance runs out. For a household moved onto one involuntarily to recover debt, the practical questions are which customers are shielded from that step, how affordability is judged before installation, and what checks a supplier must complete first. The call for input covers each of these, and also asks whether the involuntary route should align more closely with voluntary installations and Additional Support Credit, which is credit a supplier can add to a meter in certain circumstances.
For a home's energy independence, the rules determine how much control a household keeps over its payment method and supply. A meter installed without agreement can affect the ability to budget, to switch payment methods later, and to manage arrears on a household's own terms. The outcome of this review could change the balance between supplier debt recovery and customer protection, but Ofgem has not proposed any specific change and no decisions have been made. Households wanting the current position can read our guide on whether a supplier can force you onto a prepayment meter and on whether a smart meter can be switched to prepayment without consent.
What happens next
The call for input remains open until 23 December 2026, when the response window closes. Ofgem says the evidence and views it receives will help it develop detailed policy options for consultation. No date for that consultation, and no timetable for any decision, has been reported.
Sources1 sources
- Prepayment meter protections: discussion paper | Ofgem, ofgem.gov.uk