Abacus Daily Debt News

Consumer body gives energy debt advice

Energy customers have been urged to consider switching their prepayment meters by one agency.

Consumer Focus, a fair deal organisation, suggested that those in debt with their current supplier should think about changing to an online direct debit account.

Principal policy advocate at the establishment Zoe McLeod said: "If you switch to direct debit payments you save around £110 a year and if you switch to online payments direct debit you should save around £190 a year."

For those who owe £100 or less on a prepayment meter, options to swap still exist as part of the debt assignment protocol, she added.

Her comments come after the National Housing Federation (NHF) yesterday revealed that energy suppliers had overcharged £464 million to prepay meter consumers over a three-year period.

NHF lawyers announced that this could be a breach of EU policies, with some prepay households being charged up to £500 more than online debit customers.

By Francis Finch