Sometimes fear and uncertainty can be enough to leave vulnerable people feeling isolated and unsafe. One young single mum did all the right things when she moved into her housing association property in Powys, setting up her energy account with British Gas shortly after moving in. But she sought help because, despite thinking she’d asked all the right questions, she felt she hadn’t got the answers she needed and didn’t understand how her energy was being supplied. She was unsure if her gas was on a pre-payment meter like her electricity, or a credit meter. She also felt that her electric meter couldn’t be working correctly, as she hadn’t needed to top it up as often as she had in her previous property.
This young mum’s anxiety about the situation and fear of being landed with a huge bill meant she had taken to sitting in the dark, without the TV on, after her young son went to bed.
Our community-based energy adviser stepped in and spoke with a British Gas customer service agent to try to clarify the mum’s concerns. When the call was opened up to include the mum, her nerves got the better of her, but our adviser was there to take over and get the answers she needed.
Once the account issues were settled, they also discussed simple ways for the young family to save energy. And when it emerged she also had some issues surrounding her tenancy, our adviser made sure to refer the mum to a housing support organisation for further help.
