A ‘prepayment meter amnesty’ is needed to protect the most vulnerable customers amid the energy crisis.

Age Scotland has thrown its support behind Age UK’s plea for an amnesty on energy pre-payment meters, enabling consumers to opt out of this pay-as-you-go energy supply.

This proposal aims to address the issue of fuel poverty, which, according to reports, disproportionately affects the elderly population across the UK.

The charities say permanently banning the force-fitting of prepayment meters is the “only way to protect vulnerable older customers”.

Age UK has urged the government and energy companies to take immediate action to introduce this measure to ease the financial burden on older people struggling to pay their energy bills.

Age Scotland’s Head of Policy and Communications Adam Stachura said: “We’re extremely concerned about the impact pre-payment meters are having on older people on fixed and low incomes and believe that a prepayment meter amnesty, which would allow households the option of having them removed and transferred to a credit-based meter at no additional cost, is a sensible move.”