Deeside politician wants to hear about your experiences with pre payment energy meters

Deeside politician Jack Sargeant has launched a survey aimed at gathering information from residents about their experiences living with prepayment energy meters. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The survey comes after the Alyn and Deeside Senedd Member has been campaigning for a ban on the forced installation of such meters, which he claims is causing financial hardship for many households. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Households with prepay meters are charged a higher rate for the energy they use than those on direct debit, which is why Jack Sargeant has been calling for a ban on the forced installation of these meters. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

He has also expressed concerns that the use of prepay meters is leading to vulnerable people being cut off from their energy supply, with research from Citizens Advice showing that last year 3.2 million people were cut off from their energy supply because they couldn’t afford to top up, the equivalent of one person every 10 seconds. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

An investigation by The Times found that agents hired by British Gas were breaking into the homes of vulnerable customers to install prepay meters, including people living with disabilities and a young mother with a four-week-old baby. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Jack has described the revelations as a ‘national disgrace’ and has called for decisive action from the UK government. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

He has raised the issue on numerous occasions in the Welsh Parliament and last week met with industry regulator Ofgem. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

He is now conducting his own survey of residents to hear their experiences of living in a household with a prepay meter. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The MS will be using the responses to further inform his campaign for a total ban on the forced installation of prepay meter. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“I want to hear how these meters are impacting the lives of those forced to live with them. This will inform my campaign for compensation to be paid to those impacted. I’d be grateful if as many people as possible could fill out the survey I have launched this week,” said Jack. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

In addition to a ban on the forced installation of prepay meters, the Deeside politcian has called for the UK Government to introduce new legislation that would stop energy companies from being able to cut households off from electricity and gas. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The issue of prepayment energy meters is one that affects millions of households across the UK, and the results of the survey will be of great interest to many. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

It remains to be seen what action, if any, the UK government will take to address the concerns raised by Jack Sargeant and others regarding the use of prepay meters. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

You can take part in Jack’s survey here – https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/CY6C54/  ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

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