Bolton's Citizens Advice branch says more people are needing help with using their energy prepayment meters amid  "eye-watering" price hikes.

According to new research by the national charity, one person in the country is cut off from their meter every 10 seconds according to new data by the charity.

The figures also showed that 2m people are being disconnected at least once a month.

And more than one in five prepayment meter customers have been cut off in the past year and have then spent at least 24 hours without gas or electricity.

The Bolton News:

CEO of Citizens Advice Bury and Bolton Richard Wilkinson said they also had noticed that the government’s energy support scheme was not being used on new bills but on arrears instead.

The charity has discovered that the money can legally be used on arrears unless the household has agreed a payment plan with the energy company.

Mr Wilkinson said: “We are seeing twice the number of people with debt compared to last year and are seeing situations where the energy bills support scheme of £400 are not helping people because energy companies are using it to reduce arrears for people on prepayment meters.

“So, the bills are increasing at an eye-watering level and they then don’t top up the meter for a few days and when you do that, it means there will be no electricity and gas.

“If you don’t top it up for a week, the standing charge is still applied and the energy companies will just charge you the standing charge on the days you didn’t top up.”

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In response to the money being used on arrears, he added: “This is a new set of problems that people are coming to us with.

“As this energy crisis continues, we want to advise people to come and see us and we can help them set up a payment plan so that the support scheme money is not being used on arrears and will help them with their current bills as intended.”

Citizens Advice is calling for a total ban on forced prepayment meter installations until new protections are introduced, ensuring households can no longer be fully cut off from gas and electricity.