Good Morning Britain viewers were not impressed earlier today when a big energy boss claimed his company is losing money thanks to prepayment energy meters.
Bill Bullen, CEO of Utilita Energy, told presenters Ben Shephard and Kate Garraway this morning how his company 'does everything they can' to help their customers amid the crippling cost of living crisis, but are facing a 'mission impossible'.
Utilita, formed in 2003, market themselves as the UK’s first and only specialist Pay As You Go Smart Energy supplier and state on their website how they were formed to "help those households who were being badly served and overcharged".
Speaking on Good Morning Britain today, Mr Bullen spoke candidly about his business and profits as millions across the country have to decide whether to heat or eat this winter.
"We're doing everything we can to help customers but I think at some point Ofgem have got to join up the dots because, as I tried to explain earlier on, we're losing money on prepay energy," Mr Bullen told Ben and Kate via video link.
He went to say: "There has to come a point where we say 'guys, what can we do? What more can we do given you've already given us mission impossible'. We do everything we can to help our customers.
"The key thing we focus on, and always have, is to help people out. People can take control of their... it lasts - it's not just a price reverse."
Viewers watching at home this morning were not totally convinced by Mr Bullen's claims during his chat with Ben and Kate, and many took to social media to share their views with other.
"Put the violin away. How about using some of your 81 million profit to cut prices," one tweeted after the interview aired earlier today.
"I will believe energy companies are doing all they can to help customers when they start breaking even like rest of us have to do through this difficult time," another added, as a third declared: "My heart bleeds for the energy company [eye-roll emoji] #gmb."
Another of the many angry tweets reads: "People who pay on prepayment are paying more than anyone else, ask him how much profit the energy companies have earned in the last four months?"
One unimpressed viewer simply stated: "Put the energy companies back into public ownership. #BBCBreakfast #GMB."
Earlier this year, it was revealed how millions will be plunged into fuel poverty in the New Year with the poorest hit three times as hard.
Shock figures reported in August estimate that more than half of all households – 15 million people – will be left on the brink as energy prices soar to eye-watering new heights.
Despite projected bills of more than £500-a-month next year, there is still no meaningful help on the table from the Government.
*Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV and ITVX
