Business secretary demands energy firms halt forced fitting of prepayment meters

Grant Shapps has vowed to ‘name and shame’ the worst energy suppliers

Business secretary Grant Shapps has called on energy companies to do more to avoid forcibly installing prepayment meters in households struggling to pay their bills.

In a letter to energy suppliers, Mr Shapps said: "Suppliers are clearly jumping the gun and moving at-risk customers onto prepayment meters before offering them the support they are entitled to."

He added: "I am deeply concerned to see reports of customers being switched to prepayment meters against their will, with some disconnected from supply - and quite literally left in the dark."