Reassurances given for Manx Utilities customers

Prepay metre emergency credit increased

The chairman of Manx Utilities has sought to issue reassurances to members of the community worried about paying their bills.

Dr Alex Allinson says the organisation is aware of the concerns of its customers at the present time:

As part of efforts to help members of the public, emergency credit on prepay meters has been temporarily increased from £6 to £30.

Vulnerable customers are encouraged to contact the Manx Utilities team on 687675 during office hours, or 687687 for emergencies.

There is also a 'frequently asked questions' section on the organisation's website.

You can watch Manx Utilities Chair Dr Alex Allinson speaking to Manx Radio's Dollin Mercer here:

Below, you can see the advice issued by Manx Utilities in full:

How can you help us to prepare:
•    Prepay electricity meter (key meter) customers to Top-Up NOW to ensure they have sufficient credit to cover a period of self-isolation (14 days).
•    Prepay electricity customers to Top-Up multiple times to ensure all pending instructions are transferred to the meter.
•    All customers should consider whether you need to visit our offices – please help protect our workforce and our community by respecting social distancing.  We have various ways to contact us including email (accounts@manxutilities.im), telephone (687687), through our website at www.manxutilities.im, Facebook or Twitter.
•    All customers could consider how you can best utilise your electricity with energy efficiency measures.  Help and advice can be found on our website.
What we are doing:
•    We are sending an instruction to prepay meters to action a temporary increase to the emergency credit from £6 to £30.  However, this is YOUR Emergency Credit to cover unplanned circumstances so please protect it.  Call outs to those not respecting this support may be chargeable.
•    Vulnerable Customers can contact our team on 687675 during office hours or the 24 hour support number 687687 (for emergencies).
•    When Emergency Credit is activated, the standing charge and debt repayments will be suspended HOWEVER, they will be collected on your next Top-Up. 
•    We are working with our prepay retailers to ensure accessibility for our customers to Top-Up in store.
•    Our Frequently Asked Questions for customers are regularly updated on our website and customers can also call us on 687675 during office hours or the 24 hour support number 687687 (emergencies only).
•    Prepay customers do have a ‘friendly do not disconnect’ period which is 8pm to 8am, all day Sunday and Bank Holidays. This provides continuation of electricity supplies until a Top-Up can be obtained.