At a time when energy bills are at record highs and inflation continues to devalue pay packets month on month, I’ve been distressed to hear and witness the appalling practices of energy giants. We are seeing local people being forced to install energy prepayment meters in their homes.

And it is no surprise that it is the most vulnerable, the disabled and older people who are struggling to pay their energy bills.

Prepayment meters are a punitive measure that often entrenches people’s difficulty in keeping up with energy payments, according to analysis from Citizen’s Advice an estimated three million people ran out of prepayment credit and two million were regularly being cut-off by their provider last year alone.

Some people prefer pre-payment meters and that’s fair enough, but to force them on customers when the consensus is that they are more expensive than a direct debit, due to the lack of flexibility in tariffs available and the standing fees they incur, is nothing short of perverse.

You can’t afford your direct debit, so you get forced onto a prepayment meter, which then means you struggle more with your bills because they’re more expensive. It’s a sort of vicious circle that only the worst kind of corporate greed could create.

The chief executive of British Gas’ parent company, Centrica, has apologised for the actions of the company, but that very same business is also predicting record profits in the first quarter of this year.

Record profits of British Gas and the other energy giants will have been paid for, in part, by vulnerable people having their houses broken into for forced meter installations.

It will come as some relief that the energy regulator Ofgem has finally intervened to put a stop to the practice, but for many families the emotional and financial damage will have already been done.

The very fact that we reached this tipping point speaks to the UK government being completely relaxed about big business in this country running roughshod over the wellbeing of the most vulnerable.

As your member of parliament, British Gas and its competitors regularly fill my mailbox with all the ways they’re supposedly supporting their customers. In reality, they are chasing people to squeeze the last pennies out of those who quite literally have nothing left.

Their conduct has been disgraceful. There have been more than enough warm words. And for all the apologies, we have a responsibility to ensure that the energy giants are never allowed to behave in this way again.

My office continues to support people across Newport West. If you ever have a query or require any assistance, please contact me at ruth.jones.mp@parliament.uk or 01633 256268.