Responding to the latest Ofgem price cap, Dame Clare Moriarty, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice, said:
“Today’s price cap rise pushes energy prices to a three year high. It’s another sign of the relentless erosion of living standards across the country: energy bills are simply too high, prices leapfrog incomes, and debt levels continue to grow.
“The government has already taken positive action to cut levies and VAT on electricity, but the impact of the conflict in the Middle East means people still face rising costs. We need further bold action to protect those most at risk of being trapped in cold, dark homes this winter.
“The government must commit to funding a reformed energy support scheme for those who need it most, like single parent families and disabled people.”
Latest research from Citizens Advice shows:
- More than a third of Brits are worried about how they’ll afford their energy bills this winter.
- 3.5 million households are currently in energy debt – either behind on their bills or without gas or electricity because they can’t afford to top up their prepayment meter.
- Alarmingly, just over a quarter (28%) of prepayment meter customers lost gas or electricity because they couldn’t afford to top up in the last year, with one in five (21%) saying they typically went without power for 12 hours or more.