ScottishPower has apologised after a 76-year-old man was sent an energy bill for £8,413, more than nine times his usual annual payment. Richard Palmer, who lives in a small bungalow with solar panels, paid the sum immediately out of panic after the company threatened to register a credit default against him.
His daughter, Anne, said the letter caused her father 'significant distress' and that he felt he had no choice but to pay the full amount on the spot. The bill was later found to be the result of an incorrect meter reading from 2022.
Simon Francis of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition described the case as 'quite shocking', noting that the error was larger than others they had seen. ScottishPower has since refunded £9,000 to Palmer, including a double payment of £433 taken in November, and offered a goodwill payment of £1,000.
The incident comes as the energy price cap in Great Britain is set to rise by 13% from July, pushing average annual bills to £1,862. Martin Lewis of MoneySavingExpert.com advised consumers on standard tariffs to consider switching to fixed deals to avoid the increase.
