Citizens Advice warn that one in four people fear having to turn off heating and hot water this winter. New research suggests that up to a quarter of the UK population believe they could be forced to turn off their heating and hot water this winter due to an expected rise in household energy bills. Citizens Advice found that the proportion who said they will need to take such drastic action increased to 31 per cent for households with children and 39 per cent for people on a low income.
The charity, which is still supporting record numbers of people with energy debt despite lower costs in the summer months, said households “will continue to face impossible choices and drastic cutbacks to be able to heat their home s” without urgent UK Government intervention. The online survey of 2,209 adults found that 48 per cent of respondents said they would have to turn down or turn off their heating or water if the e nergy price cap rises by the 9 per cent predicted by experts from October 1. A third of households surveyed said they would have difficulty affording food and other daily essentials such as mortgages, rent and childcare, while 7 per cent said they would be forced to skip meals.
Earlier this week, energy consultancy Cornwall Insight said the cap increase would see a typical household’s energy bill rise from £1,568 to £1,714 a year. Energy regulator Ofgem is set to confirm the new energy price cap for October to December on Friday. Citizens Advice said 7 per cent of h.