THERE has been a massive rise in the number of Victorians who have had their electricity or gas disconnected because they have failed to pay their energy bills.
The Essential Services Commission (ESC) reported that in 2011-12 almost 24,000 electricity customers were cut off, a jump of 33 per cent on the previous year, while more than 20,000 gas customers were disconnected - up 50 per cent.
The report found that almost half of the disconnected customers were reconnected within seven days indicating that they were residents who had trouble paying their bills.
"As the high rate of reconnections at the same address implies, most of the disconnections are of customers who struggle to pay their bills - not 'skippers' or movers from a residence," said ESC chief executive David Heeps.
"If retailers could better identify and support customers in hardship, then the adoption of a payment plan may head off disconnection as a last resort."
The Victorian Council of Social Services said energy retailers were treating customers in hardship too harshly.
The welfare body said that disconnecting people too often proves the energy industry needed to brought into line and it was time the state government stepped in.
"More people are being disconnected from their essential energy supply than at any time since the industry was privatised and the state government needs to step in to pull the industry into line," said VCOSS chief executive Penny Wilson.
She said energy retailers are entitled to be paid but they have a legal obligation to help customers in financial difficulty by offering flexible payment options or special hardship assistance.
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