Ms Issy Petrie:

A lot of people use pay-as-you-go. There are different types of pay-as-you-go. There is the hardship pay-as-you-go to manage arrears and what is referred to as a lifestyle pay-as-you-go where it is someone's choice because that is how he or she wants to budget. The reality, however, is that pay-as-you-go is an entirely different thing when prices have doubled. The risk it presents to people has increased so much. Having said that, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul has previously supported people who were self-disconnecting and severely self-rationing so it is not a new problem but the risk is so much greater with prices as they are.

What this has really brought to light is the focus that needs to be placed on this group in terms of consumer protections and understanding those risks. In terms of the capabilities of the meter and getting help to people, where are the weaknesses in the system when we are seeing so many prepay meter customers self-disconnecting and falling through the cracks of these protections? It is about taking this opportunity to review how we can support those customers.