ruth london is the co—founder of campiagn group fuel poverty action. campaign group fuel poverty actionl, they do charge more than other metres, but that's not the main thing. the main thing is that they just go off. everything clicks off when you can't top them up, and people are left in the dark, in the cold. they may need their medical equipment powered by electricity. they may need heat. they may be elderly, they may be ill, they may have just brought home a newborn baby, and everything, the machine says no and that's the end of it. it is a scandal that this has been allowed. i must say that it is now very welcome that there are some response, but we are not there yet, i'm afraid, because they are saying that the company should do everything they can before moving people to a prepayment meter, and of course, that's what the companies say they are doing anyway. we need an outright ban, and we also need of the metres that have been put in where they are not safe, where they will lead to deaths and everybody knows they will lead to deaths, and they are in defiance of the licence condit

earlier i spoke with ruth london, the co—founder of campiagn group fuel poverty action.. they just go theyjust go off, everything clicks off when you can't top them up and people are left in the dark and cold, they may need medical equipment to switch on. the machine says no and that is the end of it. it is a scandal. the government's moves now, of course, it is welcome there is some response, but we are not there yet. they're saying that the companies should do everything they can before moving people to a prepayment meter. we need a ban and we also need the removal of the meters that have been put in where they're not safe, where they're going to lead to deaths and everybody knows they will lead to deaths and they're in defiance of the rules for the companies. you know, the government talk about name and shame. it is not name and shame, they should take the licence away from the companies break licence conditions they should not be allowed to operate. commuters in the uk who use south western railway are waiting to hear what theirjourneys might be like from tomorrow af

action. a charity working to end fuel poverty. thank you forjoining us., , ., ., meter? sadly his all too common, these desperate _ meter? sadly his all too common, these desperate situations - meter? sadly his all too common, these desperate situations of- these desperate situations of people living for prolonged periods of time, rationing energy use and living without energy entirely, happening daily, millions of homes across the uk, creating misery. tell us wh it across the uk, creating misery. tell us why it is — across the uk, creating misery. tell us why it is that being unhappy payment metre costume or for your units. —— being on a prepayment meter. units. -- being on a prepayment meter. , ., , meter. higher cause to serve those customers. — meter. higher cause to serve those customers. the _ meter. higher cause to serve those customers, the cost _ meter. higher cause to serve those customers, the cost of— meter. higher cause to serve those customers, the cost of the - customers, the cost of the infrastructure within top up locations, but that is p

let's speak now to peter smith, director of policy and advocacy at national energy action, which campaigns against fuel poverty forjoining. let me ask you first of all, what you make of our poll? it’s ask you first of all, what you make of our poll?— of our poll? it's hugely worrying and i think— of our poll? it's hugely worrying and i think it — of our poll? it's hugely worrying and i think it illustrates - of our poll? it's hugely worrying and i think it illustrates the - of our poll? it's hugely worrying i and i think it illustrates the depth and i think it illustrates the depth and cost of living crisis. we have known for a long time people are really struggling but the survey underlines that over 50% of households are finding the cost of essentials incredibly difficult to cover, and worryinglyjust less than half are cutting back their energy consumption. reducing your energy consumption. reducing your energy consumption seems to be the only way to avoid rocket high energy prices. we know for households that have got medical health conditions that can badly exacerbate those conditions and can put them at r