Suppliers will support customers who are impacted financially as a direct or indirect result of COVID-19.
Based on individual circumstances, this could include:
● Suppliers should consider reassessing, reducing or pausing debt repayment and bill payments for domestic customers in financial distress.
● Suppliers should consider referring customers who are struggling to pay to third party debt advisers such as StepChange and Citizens Advice.
● Suppliers will suspend credit meter disconnections
Suppliers will support prepayment meter customers directly or indirectly impacted by COVID-19 to stay on supply.
Based on individual circumstances, this could include:
● extending discretionary/ friendly credit or sending out a pre-loaded top up card.
● enabling customers to nominate a trusted third party to be able to pick up discretionary credit sent to a shop on their behalf.
● switching smart prepayment meters into credit mode or extending non-disconnection periods (consumers will be made aware any credit will
need to be paid back).
● promoting online smart prepayment top-up channels.
● having particular regard to the existing rules and the potential impact of COVID-19 when considering switching a customer from credit to prepay.
● contacting prepayment customers with advice on what to do in the event of self-isolation