Compulsory prepayment meters

That this House understands that due to rising energy prices many households are struggling to pay their bills; notes that nearly half a million warrants allowing energy firms to forcibly install prepayment meters in people’s homes have been approved by courts since July 2021, according to a Freedom of Information request; further notes reports in The i newspaper that courts are signing off these warrants in large batches without examining individual cases; recognises that households with prepayment meters have less rights than other customers because they are not entitled to get into more than £10 of debt and if they are unable to pay in advance they are forced to self-disconnect leaving them without power in their homes; further recognises that the rules state that suppliers cannot force-fit a prepayment meter under warrant for people in very vulnerable situations if they don’t want one, charge them for warrant costs on debts, or use warrants on people who would find the experience very traumatic; expresses its concern that warrants are being issued without the appropriate checks being undertaken to make sure that the rules are being followed; believes that nobody should be left without energy this winter as a result of them not being able to afford bills; calls for the Government to immediately implement a legal ban on prepayment meters being forcibly installed without the approval of households; and further calls for the Government to investigate whether courts are following the rules relating to the forced instalment of prepayment meters.