Shapps keeping ‘close eye’ on forced PPM switches

Grant Shapps has said he is keeping a “very close eye” on reports that customers are being “forcibly” switched by suppliers onto pre-payment meters (PPMs).

Giving evidence to the business, energy and industrial strategy (BEIS) committee on Tuesday, the business and energy secretary of state was pressed by Conservative MP Jane Hunt on concerns raised by Citizens Advice (CA) that suppliers are forcing customers to change to PPMs and switching smart meters onto pre-pay mode.

Hunt also asked Shapps if the government would heed calls to introduce a moratorium on the forcible installation of PPMs over the winter.

Shapps said he shared CA’s concern and has been raising with energy companies reports of people being forcibly switched.

He said the feedback from energy companies is that they are going to review their approach to this matter and at a meeting with Northern Irish energy providers had been reassured that nobody would be cut off or forced to switch onto PPMs.

But Shapps said the department will be keeping a “very close eye” on the issue and will speak to suppliers about it.

Shapps made his comments following the tabling of an early day motion in the House of Commons about involuntarily installation of PPMs.

The motion, which is being led by Labour backbench MP Dan Carden, notes a “significant increase” in the number of households being “involuntarily” moved onto PPMs and expressed alarm at reports that nearly half a million warrants have been issued allowing energy firms to force entry since July 2021.

It says at a single court in northern England, magistrates signed off a batch of 496 utility warrants in just three minutes and 51 seconds as a debt agent representing several major energy firms dialled in by telephone.

The motion also echoes concerns raised by the End Fuel Poverty Coalition that energy suppliers are using PPM installations under warrant to disconnect indebted customers “by the back door”.

Concern at sluggish transition to hydrogen boilers

At the committee, Shapps also rejected concerns that the UK was being cautious in the pace of its switch over from gas to hydrogen boilers.

“If we simply said all boilers will be hydrogen without consulting very carefully, I don’t think the outcome would be one that this country would welcome.”

The BEIS department published proposals on Tuesday for all gas boiler to be hydrogen-ready from 2026.

Quizzed on whether the government has plans to support vulnerable customers in the event of a temporary black-out this winter, he said the UK was “nowhere near” this scenario.

“There are all sorts of other tools in the tool kit, we don’t want to alarm anybody.”