Energy bills: 72 in court every week for unpaid bills

Scores of customers are being taken to court every week because they have not paid their energy bills.

The Sunday Post has learned that last year 3,752 court judgements were made in favour of the big six energy firms.

The shock toll, equivalent to 72 people having court action against them every week, has been blamed on soaring energy costs.

The news comes after a survey by uSwitch revealed almost four million households are in debt to their energy supplier, owing on average £128.

Mark Todd, co-founder and director of price comparison website Energyhelpline, said: “It is often people who are less well off that are less well informed that there are options out there.

“If there are people on benefits or anyone in the house who is disabled, there are a lot of grants available to make homes more energy efficient.

“There are options for people to get help before it gets to court.

“It is a sad situation people have been unable to afford to pay bills.”

The figures show npower won 1,872 cases, which was double its closest rival E.ON UK, with 955 judgements in its favour.

British Gas won 737, EDF Energy won 77, Scottish Power 60 and SSE Energy Supply Ltd 51.

Tom Greatrex, MP for Rutherglen and Hamilton West and Labour’s shadow energy minister, said: “Many families struggling with the worst cost of living crisis in a generation have come to dread the sound of a bill coming through the letter box.

“With four million people in arrears on their utility bills, these new figures make clear just how many people are ending up in court as they struggle to get on top of rising costs.

“It is increasingly clear that our broken energy market is in need of reform.

“Only Labour has set out proposals to freeze energy bills and reform the market, delivering a fairer and more transparent deal for consumers.”

But Energy UK, which represents the energy industry, claimed court action was always a last resort.

A spokesman said: “Energy companies use court proceedings only once all other means of reconciliation have been exhausted.

“No one should worry about putting on the heating or the lights.

“There is plenty of help available to those struggling, including subsidised energy efficiency measures, access to trust funds and a priority service register for vulnerable customers.

“The largest companies have all signed up to the Energy UK Safety Net which promises to never knowingly disconnect a vulnerable customer.

“Payment plans that are tailored to a customer’s individual situation can also be arranged.”

A spokesperson for npower echoed the words of Energy UK, saying: “I think it’s really important to note that we only ever use court proceedings as an absolute last resort.

“Each case will actually cost us money so it is very much in our best interests to try to reach a resolution before it reaches this stage.

“Our focus is the group of people who persistently and wilfully refuse to pay, not those who are unable to.”