Energy suppliers are accused of not giving early help to vulnerable households on prepayment meters. Tens of thousands of vulnerable gas and electricity customers could be going without power for up to three months, despite promises from the big six companies that no one will knowingly be cut off. The Labour party argues that an unacceptable ‘disconnection by the back door’ has taken hold because many on prepayment meters are not receiving early help from suppliers. The plight of those on prepayment meters is already under scrutiny, with recent figures from the Department of Energy and Climate Change showing this category of energy user is paying on average about £100 a year more for gas and electricity combined, compared with those on direct debit. There is further concern because some of those on prepayment schemes have been pushed on to them by energy suppliers as a result of past debts.