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Department of Energy and Climate Change

It is fair to say that there is further to go with the energy companies on these issues. There are two questions, and we must be clear about them. First, the energy companies claim—currently supported by Ofgem—that the cost to the companies for people with prepayment meters are higher than for other people. I am urgently investigating that claim. The second issue—also raised by the Ofgem report—is that even taking account of those higher costs, people on prepayment meters are paying too much. On that point, I have demanded urgent action from the companies. On the first issue, I am investigating the truth of those claims and what can be done about the issue in general.