New figures have revealed magistrates issued dozens of warrants to forcibly install pre-payment meters (PPMs) in Norfolk homes last year.
Official data shows that the county's courts gave approval in 44 cases, allowing energy companies to enter homes and fit the devices against the resident's wishes.
It comes at a time of mounting concern over the way that the meters - which see customers charged more than those paying via direct debit - have been imposed on vulnerable people.
All magistrates were this week ordered to stop issuing warrants, while regulator Ofgem has asked energy companies to suspend forcible installations.
The Norfolk figures, which were uncovered by Norwich City Council’s (NCC) Green group, show that 19 warrants were signed by magistrates in Great Yarmouth and a further 25 by those in Norwich.
Neither court turned down a warrant in 2022 and none were signed in the preceding two years.
Lucy Galvin, NCC’s Green group leader, said: “As energy costs have soared the situation has become much worse, and meters are being increasingly forced on people. They are becoming the monster under the stairs for people.”
Ms Galvin proposed a motion at a recent meeting of NCC, which drew unanimous support, calling for Norwich Magistrates Court to reveal what process it follows before issuing a warrant and how it ensured people were not vulnerable.
It also called for the authority to make extra attempts to find out which council tenants are on a PPM and to offer them more assistance.
Group leaders will also write to central government and Ofgem, the energy regulator, demanding they carry out an urgent review.
Concerns about the imposition of PPMs have increased in recent days following an investigation by the Times newspaper which claimed debt agents for British Gas were breaking into the homes of vulnerable people. British Gas has since announced that it will stop using warrants, with the boss of the company issuing an apology.
PPMs use ‘pay as you go’ credit and come in two types – smart meters put into a “pre-payment mode” or a box installed in the home which requires a top-up key, which can be loaded with money at a shop.
The cost per unit of energy is higher than for those paying via direct debit and the meters are often used when someone is already in debt.
Figures suggest they can cost more than £200 more over winter than paying by direct debit.
Mark Hitchcock, chief executive of Norfolk Citizens Advice, said that the number of people seeking advice from his organisation about their energy costs had doubled this year.
“People are coming off deals and bills are going up while budgets are going down. Figures show that across the east of England, 13pc of people with meters are facing disconnection once a week or more, which is the highest of all regions," he added.
“We are very concerned that more and more clients are falling into deficit budgets and that the end of planned support in March 2023 needs urgent reconsideration.”
Sarah's story
Sarah went to Norfolk Citizens Advice last year, as she saw her debts increasing and struggled to pay utility bills and council tax.
She lives in a city council house in Norwich, with her husband and adult children.
Mental and physical issues prevent her from working, meaning she has to claim Universal Credit (UC) and she has accrued significant debt of more than £5,000
Her partner works but errors in UC calculations have left them with no credit awarded in some months.
Sarah was unable to switch her energy supplier to a better deal because of her debt.
Her energy provider has threatened to fit a prepayment meter, which she fears could leave her even worse off.
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