The Cost of Living

Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Finance and Local Government – in the Senedd at 1:36 pm on 18 January 2023.

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Photo of Rebecca Evans Rebecca Evans Labour 1:36, 18 January 2023

I'm very grateful to Jack Sargeant for raising this this afternoon, and I do want to recognise the incredible work that Jack Sargeant is doing in terms of leading the campaign in respect of prepayment meters. Colleagues within Welsh Government are absolutely taking up that campaign on your behalf. So, the Minister for Social Justice is having a further meeting with energy suppliers on 23 January, and, again, she will be raising these concerns over reports of people, including vulnerable customers, being moved onto prepayment meters. And I know that she's made those same points in previous meetings that she's had with energy suppliers. The Minister also wrote to Grant Shapps on 23 December, outlining our concerns around prepayment meters, and we are taking opportunities, when we have them, with the UK Government again to make those cases. And officials are continuing to liaise with Ofgem to understand if customers who are moved onto prepayment meters are able to appeal the decision, because, as yet, we don't have clarity on that.

As Jack Sargeant says, this is an issue that particularly affects the most vulnerable households. It's a real concern that almost half of social housing tenants are on prepayment meters at the moment, and, obviously, that means that many of those will be paying above what other customers will be paying for their energy. So, it is quite right for us to focus our efforts in this particular space. And, obviously, I'll take opportunities in my regular discussions with local government to ensure that they're also making the right moves in this space.