I, like many others, rely on medical equipment for my health and well-being. My equipment is in use for 16 hours a day, five days a week  

 “Energy watchdog Ofgem is consulting on a 'dynamic' new price cap system which allows different charges depending on the time of day in order to meet the demand of net zero.”

The proposal comes despite the Government previously and repeatedly reassuring the public that smart meter users would NOT face higher energy bills. In 2018, the Government went as far as to publish guidance to say it was a 'myth' that suppliers would charge higher prices through smart meters.

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/article-13237995/Ofgem-boiling-kettle-evening-expensive-save-money-doing-laundry-night.html

Have they not made enough profit of late? 

This will put me, and many others like me, under immense financial strain. These charges disproportionately affect those of us with medical needs and those living on low incomes.

No one chooses to be disabled or to require life-sustaining medical equipment. Yet, these new billing practices will effectively penalise us for circumstances beyond our control. It's not just about money; it's about our health and lives too.  These peak demand charges could force more people to cut back on their medical treatments, potentially risking a hospital admission and adding further strain on the NHS and further costs to the economy. 

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), there are approximately 13.9 million disabled people in the UK – that’s around 21% of the population (ONS, 2019). Many of these individuals rely on power-dependent medical devices at home.

We need action, not words. We need a social tariff. 

We urge regulators and policymakers to intervene immediately to stop electricity companies from using half-hourly meter readings as a basis for deploying peak demand charges especially against properties with medical equipment users or homes with low income residents.

Please sign this petition if you believe that everyone should have fair access to essential utilities without being penalised due to their health conditions or financial situation.