Campaign slashes £100 million from meter bills

Middleton based company Bowlee Park Housing has this week welcomed the news that its prepayment meter customers have had a total of £100 million cut from their bills, while insisting that prepayment premiums be outlawed entirely.

After a high-profile campaign by the National Housing Federation (NHF), which was sponsored by Bowlee Park Housing, energy regulator Ofgem announced that energy companies were aiming to remove over £500 million in unfair bill premiums.

“During Energy Action Week in September, we wrote to our local MPs urging them to raise the issue of pre-payment tariffs directly with Energy Minister, Malcolm Wicks.” stated Jane Keegan, Bowlee Park Housing director.

"The fact the energy companies have been pressurised into reducing the prepayment meter premium is a great victory. The success of this campaign shows how the housing association movement can be a real force for good."

Yet despite this recent success, three of the six big energy firms still refuse to lower their prepay charges for gas. British Gas, EDF and Scottish and Southern Energy continue to charge their prepayment gas customers up to £50 more a year than those who pay their bills on a quarterly basis.

"While we are encouraged by the fact that premiums paid by pre-payment meter users has fallen, we would like to see more and quicker action for those customers currently losing out.” continued Jane Keegan.

“It is simply not fair that, despite being among the energy companies poorest customers, people who use pre-payment meters have to pay more than other consumers for their gas and electricity than those who pay by quarterly bill.

"Ministers must step in and ensure that prepayment tariffs are brought into line with standard credit bills.”