Priority Debt: Gas and Electricity
The debts are treated as a priority and they need to be directed to a debt adviser. You may be disconnected or self-disconnect if bills are not paid. Therefore, to explore their rights and options, you are required to be referred internally for debt advice.
The debts are treated as a priority and you may need to be directed to a debt adviser. You may be disconnected or self-disconnect if bills are not paid. Therefore, to explore your rights and options, you should speak to debt adviser.
If you've reached State Pension age, your supplier can't disconnect you between 1 October and 31 March if either:
You live alone
You only live with other people who have reached State Pension age or children under 18 years old.
Key Stages of Debt Recovery:
Initial Contact & Arrears: If you miss a payment, your supplier will contact you to discuss the debt. They must offer affordable payment arrangements.
Prepayment Meter Installation: If you cannot pay, the supplier may install a prepayment meter to recover the debt through a deduction from every top-up.
Debt Collection Agency: If you ignore letters, the debt may be passed to a debt collection agency, which acts on behalf of the supplier to recover the money.
Third-Party Deductions (Fuel Direct): If you receive benefits (like Income Support or Universal Credit), the supplier can apply to the DWP to deduct payments directly from your benefits.
Legal Action/Disconnection: As a last resort, suppliers can apply for a court warrant to disconnect your supply, though this is rare. They must provide notice (seven days for gas, seven working days for electricity).
Get help
If you need advice about your situation, we can help for free.
- Email: info@youthlegal.org.uk
- Phone: 020 3195 1906 (Mon to Fri, 10am to 6pm)
- Contact form: youthlegal.org.uk/contact-us
All our advice is free and confidential.