this post was submitted on 12 Aug 2023
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[–] JoBo@feddit.uk 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

People who survive off grid have ways to meet their energy needs, or they would not survive.

In the UK, the energy companies are not allowed to cut off someone's supply. They've been getting round that by forcibly installing pre-payment meters, a practice which is coming under increasing scrutiny.

[–] activistPnk@slrpnk.net 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I am blocked from #newsAndStar but was able to reach the article this way:

http://web.archive.org/web/20230202102237/www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/national/23293213.british-gas-suspends-force-fitting-prepayment-meters-debt-agent-report/

Thanks for the info. I wonder if those meters take cash, or if they take no money at all and perhaps they are just a remote controlled switch. One of my concerns is whether unbanked people can pay in cash.

[–] JoBo@feddit.uk 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

They have a plastic key that has to be topped up at a shop which offers the service. You can only pay in cash (something to do with card fraud, apparently). I assume it is the same when they cut people off remotely via their smart meter but I don't know how the credit is physically transferred to those.