People who pay their energy bills by cheque may be seeing higher gas and electricity prices than those who use other methods.
According to a study by consumer group Which?, the average consumer can expect to pay almost £100 more a year if they opt to use cheques as their payment type, compared with direct debit.
This extra expense could be especially harmful to vulnerable customers, as many elderly people still prefer cheques, while those on low incomes may feel they are less in control of their finances using direct debit.
It was also recently noted by the Payments Council that 38 per cent of over-65s have not checked their contract in the last 12 months.
Researcher at Which? Alex Kouzarides stated that while it may be more convenient for energy suppliers to encourage people to use direct debit, they must offer customers a choice.
He said: "It's vital that utilities companies develop fair and inclusive systems that ensure all consumers are given a fair deal."
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