Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce a deficit fund to remove £1,000 off the annual bills of struggling households on pre-payment meters.

The energy price cap ensures 4.5 million prepayment meter customers pay a fair price for their energy. The Government announced a further £15 billion package of support to help with the cost of living on 26 May, on top of the £22 billion already announced this year. This means almost eight million most vulnerable households will get £1,200 of one-off support in total this year, with all domestic electricity customers receiving at least £400.

The Ability to Pay principal set by Ofgem in the supply licence requires suppliers to provide appropriate support to households which are struggling to pay their energy bills by setting up repayment plans based on a customer’s ability to pay, and by directing them to further support services.