82% surge in gas disconnections

More than 20,000 homes had their electricity or gas cut off last year for failing to pay their bills, figures reveal.

The figures from the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) show that some 7,558 homes had their gas supply cut off — an increase of 82%. A total of 14,650 households had their electricity disconnected in 2012 — an increase of 1%.

The CER retail market annual report found that Bord Gáis cut off almost twice as many electricity customers last year as in 2011, rising from 1,464 to 2,934, while it cut off gas to over 5,500 customers.