<p>Latest figures from Ofgem, released by Energywatch ahead of a Scottish Parliamentary debate on energy debt, show that more than 343,000 consumers in Scotland are, on average, GBP181 in debt to their supplier. <br /><br />According to Energywatch, the solution the energy providers are often turning to is expensive pre-payment meters (PPMs) and the problem is now so severe that each week around 1,000 expensive-to-run PPMs are being installed in consumers&#0039; homes. <br /><br />Almost one in five Scots now use a PPM to pay for some of their energy. PPM tariffs can be as much as GBP200 a year more expensive than suppliers&#0039; online or direct debit rates, Energywatch claims.<br /><br />In response to this phenomenon, Energywatch Scotland has condemned the companies&#0039; over-reliance on PPMs and is calling for discounted energy packages for those customers on low pay and fixed incomes.</p>