Self-Disconnection
Suppliers of heat to domestic consumers. Section B applies where heat is supplied to domestic consumers. A network serving only non-domestic consumers is not subject to it.
What this condition requires
Where a Domestic Consumer uses a Prepayment Meter, take all reasonable steps to identify self-disconnection and act on it (11.1); where the meter lacks the functionality to identify it, 11.2 applies. Offer a reasonable amount of Emergency Credit and Friendly-hours Credit (11.3), unless technically unfeasible or outside your control (11.4). Where you become aware or have reason to believe the consumer is having or will have difficulty paying, the payment-difficulty duties apply (11.5). On each and every occasion you identify self-disconnection, offer Additional Support Credit and assess the consumer's circumstances (11.6-11.7); if, having fully complied with 11.6 and 11.7, you reasonably do not provide it, you must provide alternative appropriate support (11.8). On each occasion you install a Prepayment Meter or switch to Prepayment Mode involuntarily, apply the credit required by 11.9 and adhere to B9 paragraph 9.8 (11.9-11.10); where applying that credit is technically infeasible, take all reasonable steps as set out in 11.11. Give each Prepayment Meter consumer adequate information in a Form and at a frequency sufficient for them to manage their supply (11.12).
The condition in full
Reproduced from Ofgem’s Heat Network Authorisation Conditions decision, January 2026, Appendix 2.
Identifying Self-disconnection 11.1 Where a Domestic Consumer uses a Prepayment Meter the authorised person must:
11.1.1 take all reasonable steps, having regard to paragraph 11.2, to identify on an ongoing and continuous basis, whether that Domestic Consumer is Self- disconnecting; and
11.1.2 if the authorised person identifies that the Domestic Consumer is Self- disconnecting, offer that Domestic Consumer appropriate support in accordance with this authorisation condition, authorisation condition B9 (Security Deposits, Payment Difficulties, Disconnections and Direct Debits), authorisation condition B5 (Assistance and Advice) and all other obligations relating to Prepayment Meter Consumers, and in deciding what is appropriate support for that Domestic Consumer, take into account whether any occupant of the relevant Domestic Premises is in a Vulnerable Situation, as appropriate.
11.2 For the purposes of paragraph 11.1.1, if the relevant Prepayment Meter does not have the functionality to enable the authorised person to identify itself whether the relevant Domestic Consumer is Self-disconnecting, the authorised person must ensure that appropriate communication channels are available for that Domestic Consumer to inform the authorised person that they are Self-disconnecting.
Provision of Emergency Credit and Friendly-hours Credit
11.3 Where a Domestic Consumer uses a Prepayment Meter the authorised person must offer a reasonable amount of Emergency Credit and Friendly-hours Credit to that Domestic Consumer, unless it is technically unfeasible and/or outside of the control of the authorised person to offer those credit facilities to that Domestic Consumer.
11.4 Where it is technically unfeasible and/or outside of the control of the authorised person to offer Emergency Credit and Friendly-hours Credit to the Domestic Consumer, the authorised person must take all reasonable steps to provide that Domestic Consumer with alternative short-term support in a timely manner.
11.5 Where paragraph 11.3 applies, if the authorised person becomes aware or has reason to believe that a Domestic Consumer is having or will have difficulty paying all or part of the Charges, the authorised person must adhere to paragraph 9.8 of authorisation condition B9 (Security Deposits, Payment Difficulties, Disconnections and Direct Debits) when calculating instalments for the Domestic Consumer to repay the total amount of Emergency Credit and/or Friendly-hours Credit provided.
Provision of Additional Support Credit 11.6 Subject to paragraph 11.8, on each and every occasion on which:
11.6.1 an authorised person identifies that a Domestic Consumer who uses a Prepayment Meter has Self-disconnected or is Self-disconnecting in circumstances in which any occupant of the relevant Domestic Premises is in a Vulnerable Situation; and/or
11.6.2 the authorised person becomes aware or has reason to believe that a Domestic Consumer who uses a Prepayment Meter has Self-rationed or is Self-rationing in circumstances in which any occupant of the relevant Domestic Premises is in a Vulnerable Situation,
the authorised person must offer a reasonable amount of Additional Support Credit to that Domestic Consumer in a timely manner in addition to the support offered in paragraph 11.3.
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11.7 Where paragraph 11.6 applies, on each occasion on which the authorised person offers Additional Support Credit, the authorised person must assess the sum of Additional Support Credit it offers to the Domestic Consumer and calculate the instalments for the Domestic Consumer to repay the Additional Support Credit it offers to the Domestic Consumer in accordance with authorisation condition B9 (Security Deposits, Payment Difficulties, Disconnections and Direct Debits).
11.8 Should the authorised person, acting reasonably and having fully considered and complied with its obligation in paragraph 11.6 and 11.7 (apart from actually offering the Domestic Consumer Additional Support Credit), determine that the provision of Additional Support Credit to the Domestic Consumer is not in the best interest of the Domestic Consumer the authorised person shall not be obliged to provide Additional Support Credit under 11.6 to that Domestic Consumer on that occasion; however, the authorised person must provide alternative appropriate support to that Domestic Consumer in accordance with authorisation condition B1 (Supplier Standards of Conduct) and authorisation condition B5 (Assistance and Advice).
Provision of Prepayment Meter Credit
11.9 On each occasion the authorised person installs a Prepayment Meter or switches an existing Supply Meter to a Prepayment Mode in the circumstances envisaged by paragraph 10.9 of authorisation condition B10 (Prepayment Meters) where the relevant Domestic Consumer has not given their Explicit Consent to such installation or switching, the authorised person must ensure that the relevant Domestic Consumer receives Prepayment Meter Credit, unless it is technically infeasible and/or outside of the control of the authorised person to offer those credit facilities to that Domestic Consumer.
11.10 Where paragraph 11.9 applies, the authorised person must adhere to paragraph 9.8 of authorisation condition B9 (Security Deposits, Payment Difficulties, Disconnections and Direct Debits) when calculating instalments for the Domestic Consumer to repay the total amount of Prepayment Meter Credit.
11.11 In the event it is technically infeasible to apply the Prepayment Meter Credit in paragraph 11.9, the authorised person must take all reasonable steps to ensure that the Domestic Consumer does not experience an interruption to their supply of heating, cooling or hot water.
Provision of information
11.12 The authorised person must ensure that each Domestic Consumer who uses a Prepayment Meter is given adequate information in a Form and frequency that is sufficient to allow that Domestic Consumer to quickly and easily understand the authorised person's Emergency Credit, Friendly-hours Credit, Additional Support Credit and Prepayment Meter Credit facilities (as appropriate) including what this is, when this can be used and how this is repaid by the Domestic Consumer.
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Does this apply to you?
Section B applies where heat is supplied to domestic consumers. If every consumer on your network is non-domestic, this condition does not apply. The registration checker works out your full set in a few questions. Registration closes on 26 January 2027.