Ebere (name has been changed) has multiple disabilities including paralysis and relies on a number of medical devices and equipment in her home to keep her mobile. Speaking to the Daily Express she said: “I told them, I cannot have a prepayment meter, I’m disabled and I can’t move around well at all. I told them that I wouldn’t be able to reach the meter if they installed one, it wouldn’t work for me."
DR UK's Anna Morell said: "Pre-payment meters are often much more expensive than paying for energy on a contract. Disabled people struggle to access places where they can top up meters, and given the cost of living crisis, the effects of meters mean that Disabled people who have been told they have to use them end up even poorer. Meters can literally result in further impairment or even death if lifesaving equipment stops working due to a meter running out of credit. It's high time that meters were taken off the table as an option for Disabled people and that far better support is provided by energy firms to ensure that Disabled people are able to access the energy they need at a price they can afford to run vital heating and equipment."
DR UK has joined calls from the End Fuel Poverty Coalition to implement an immediate ban on pre-paid meters. Read more on the Express website.
