Overview
- British Gas, which reached a settlement Friday, will pay £20 million into Ofgem’s redress fund and write off up to £70 million of debt for vulnerable customers.
- The regulator concluded the supplier breached licence rules by allowing prepayment meters to be installed without consent, including in households where it was unsafe or inappropriate.
- Customers affected between 2018 and 2021 will receive compensation in addition to payouts already made for cases in 2022 and 2023, and those eligible will be contacted without needing to apply.
- Ofgem will set up a new Vulnerable Customers Debt Advisory Panel to steer improvements in how British Gas treats people in debt.
- British Gas says it halted warrant-based installations in February 2023 after press investigations exposed the practice, and campaign groups now urge legal reform to tighten court warrant processes and protections.