Crackdown on energy companies switching households onto prepaid meters - live updates

Ofgem is to review the practices of companies switching customers onto pre-payment meters, warning it will take further legal action if it finds they are not taking due

care. In a blog, the energy watchdog's chief executive Jonathan Brearley said the regular will investigate the checks and balances energy companies have in place. He

is concerned about the "sharp growth in households struggling to pay their bills being switched over to pre-payment meters, sometimes without their even knowing about it, leaving

them without heating". It follows Business Secretary Grant Shapps' demand over the weekend that energy suppliers stop forcing financially-stretched households to switch to

pre-payment meters. He also vowed to "name and shame" the worst offenders. Mr Brearley said a review by the regulator last year of firms' processes for dealing with

the most vulnerable customers resulted in legal orders to improve and one company agreed to pay into Ofgem's compensation fund. However, he said the Business Secretary and

Citizens Advice are "right to remain concerned". Read the latest updates below. Sign up to the Front Page newsletter for free: Your essential guide to the day's

agenda from The Telegraph - direct to your inbox seven days a week. 12:39 PMHousing policy is based on 'catastrophically' flimsy beliefs, says Tory think tank Britain's

current housing policy is based on "catastrophically" flimsy beliefs, a Conservative-leaning think tank has warned.