Labour calls for halt to ‘shameful’ forced installation of prepayment meters

Ed Miliband accuses government of ‘dereliction of duty’ and demands extra support for households

Labour has called for an immediate halt to the “shameful” forced installation of prepay gas and electricity meters, with the shadow climate change secretary, Ed Miliband, accusing the government of a “dereliction of duty” and demanding extra financial support for struggling households.

The opposition wants a three-month moratorium on the installations – which are typically made when customers rack up debts with their energy supplier – and it has asked for an “urgent review of how energy vulnerability can be reduced”.