THIRD WORLD UK

Energy regulator admits vulnerable people are getting ill because they can’t afford electricity

Rebecca Thomas
Wed, 8 February 2023 

Vulnerable people are making themselves ill by cutting off electricity due to “unprecedented prices”, the UK’s energy regulator has admitted.

An Ofgem official admitted to an NHS chief that vulnerable patients are also rationing their energy due to prices and that the situation is only going to get worse.

The admission comes in response to a stark warning to Ofgem from Samantha Allen, NHS chief for the North East and Cumbria, which said the region had seen vulnerable patients admitted to hospital after their energy had been cut off by suppliers.

Neil Lawrence, director of Retail for Ofgem, said in a response letter: “We recognise that self-disconnection is also an issue, alongside energy rationing which may exacerbate or result in health conditions deriving from cold and damp living conditions.

“Given the unprecedented prices, we anticipate that rates of self-disconnection will likely increase as we head into this difficult winter.”

On Tuesday former prime minister Gordon Brown called for Ofgem boss Jonathan Brearley to resign over the scandal which has seen thousands of vulnerable Britons forced to switch to prepayment meters.

The government is facing calls for an inquiry into how energy companies used debt agents to force their way into the homes so prepayment meters could be installed for those struggling to pay their bills.

In September The Independent reported Ms Allen had written to Ofgem after reports patients needing care at home were being disconnected from their energy supply.

She gave examples of patients who need to run oxygen supply machines at home having their energy disconnected and being admitted to hospital as a result.

Her warning comes amid a major push by the NHS to discharge and treat more patients at home to tackle the worsening bed and staff shortages across hospitals.

Last year The Independent revealed an NHS-funded trial has been launched in Gloucestershire to prescribe more than 150 patients with vouchers to spend on their energy bills.

In a response to Ms Allen’s letter, Mr Lawrence from Ofgem said: “With wholesale energy prices at over 10 times what we would expect during a normal year, this is causing intense pressure across the breadth of society. However, this pressure is particularly acute for those who are clinically vulnerable… We understand your concern on disconnection, and particularly the implications this would have on those who rely on electrical medical equipment.”

The letter said having investigated 21 disconnections over debt in 2021 it was satisfied none of the customers were in “vulnerable circumstances”.

Mr Lawrence said just 80 per cent of domestic suppliers have signed up to the Energy UK Vulnerability Commitment and confirmed the regulator had launched a service of reviews which will include looking at customers in vulnerable circumstances.

North East and Cumbria NHS region has now launched a campaign to ensure vulnerable patients are signed up to their energy suppliers’ priority services register, which identifies vulnerable people who need additional help.

In a recent response to Mr Lawrence, Ms Allen said: “As an overriding principle within our civil society, no clinically vulnerable patient should ever be in a position where their life is at risk by disconnection and/or being in a position of self-disconnection.”

She said although the regulator has acted against some providers locally “we should never get into this position in the first place”.

“Given the scale of the challenge many are facing it is imperative we work together and do all that is within our power, collectively and individually. Whilst the current market conditions and local lived experience of disconnections have instigated the need for our exchange I am sure we can all agree for the need to ensure we challenge each other and work in the best interests of those most vulnerable.”

Ofgem was approached for comment.