In these tough times this is a question that more people are becoming worried about.

Although there is a risk that you could be cut off if you don’t pay your bills, there are a few rules that the utilities companies should follow that could prevent this.

Firstly, the company must consider any reasonable repayment plan that you propose.

They should also consider installing a prepayment meter and often this is done instead of cutting off supply.

If you have reached state pension age the company cannot disconnect you between October and March. So, if you are of pensionable age and you live alone or with people who are claiming state pension or children under 18.

You should also let the company know if someone you live with has reached state pension age, is disabled or has a long-term physical or mental health problem because between October and March the company should offer you support, such as a payment plan, before disconnecting your supply.

There are voluntary agreements that most supplying companies have signed up to which require them not to disconnect between October and March if you live with children under 18 and at any time of the year if you are disabled, have long term health problems, severe financial problems or have children under 6 years old living with you.

It can be seen from this that it is vital to tell your supplier company about your personal circumstances and those that you live with, as that may well help avoid disconnection.

If the company does intend to disconnect and they need to enter your premises to do so. To do that they must obtain a warrant to enter from the Court. You should not ignore those court proceedings because even while they are going on you can still reach an agreement with the company to pay the debt on a payment plan that you can afford.

If your supplier gets a warrant, they can enter your home and disconnect but they may install a prepayment meter instead.

They won’t need a warrant to disconnect a meter outside your property but in practice many will still get one.

If you have a smart meter that could be disconnected by the company remotely, but before they do so they should still discuss with you repaying the debt and visit your home to assess your personal circumstances and find out, for example, if you are disabled.

There are several opportunities to avoid disconnection and in practice it is rare. It is vital for you to respond to any contacts from the supplier company and to discuss your circumstances with them. It is distressing to deal with debt but the worst thing that you can do is ignore it. If you engage with the supplier company, they are much more likely to come to some kind of arrangement with you that will keep the lights and heating on.

If court proceedings are issued against you then you should attend any court hearing because you can still reach an arrangement with the supplier even up until that point. If you need legal advice you should consult a solicitor, and you can search for a solicitor without having to provide any of your personal data at search4legal.co.uk/Home/Search.