One in four fear having to turn off heating and hot water this winter – survey

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, research suggests.

The proportion who said they will need to take such drastic action increased to 31% for households with children and 39% for people on a low income, a survey by Citizens Advice found.

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 homes” without urgent Government intervention.

Overall, the survey found that 48% of respondents said they would have to turn down or turn off their heating or water if the energy price cap rises by the 9% predicted by experts.

A third of households surveyed said they would have difficulty affording food and other daily essentials such as mortgages, rent and childcare, while 7% said they would be forced to skip meals.

Energy consultancy Cornwall Insight recently said the cap increase would take a typical household’s energy bill to £1,714 a year, up from £1,568 currently, on October 1.

Energy regulator Ofgem is set to confirm the new energy price cap for October to December on Friday.

Citizens Advice said 7% of households currently remain in debt to their energy supplier. The proportion rises to 14% for households with children despite a slight reduction in bills since last year.

The charity added that the incomes of about five million people are exceeded by their essential monthly outgoings, with the expected price cap increase set to pull a further 187,000 people into a negative budget.

Citizens Advice said the Government must “act fast” to prevent millions of households from experiencing further hardship this winter, with those in “desperate need” unable to wait for Labour’s long-term goal of reducing costs through a greater focus on renewables.

The charity said reforms to ensure support for families with children and disabled people through the current Warm Homes Discount better reflects actual energy needs would ease immediate pressures.

The process currently provides a one-off £150 payment for people on low incomes and pensions.

The expected rise in bills comes after Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced that the winter fuel allowance would no longer be universal, and only pensioners on means-tested benefits would qualify for it this winter.

Ministers have launched a campaign to urge those who still qualify to secure winter fuel payments as Government plans are expected to strip away the energy benefit from millions of elderly people.

Dame Clare Moriarty, chief executive of Citizens Advice, said the charity is “bracing” itself for a “challenging winter”.

She added: “The price cap increase will see a wave of households tipped into debt, bill payers forced to make impossible decisions to make ends meet, and families worried about the impact the cold will have on their loved ones.

“Energy prices might be down from the peak of the crisis, but with many already in the red and the removal of previous support packages, there’s still no light at the end of the tunnel for those in desperate need.

We need to see targeted bill support that reflects the realities of people’s energy needs

“The Government has inherited a huge challenge, so there must be no delay in their action.

“We need to see targeted bill support that reflects the realities of people’s energy needs.”

Louise Steel, debt caseworker and advice services manager at Citizens Advice Wyre Forest, said the charity will rely on recruiting more volunteers in the colder months as demand for support rises.

She added: “When people are struggling to keep up with their energy bills, everything else is impacted.

“We’ve supported people who’ve sold all their non-essential electrical appliances to help pay their rising bills. And we also have people staying in our waiting room longer than they need to, just to warm up and watch TV.

“The knock-on effect of this isn’t just financial, many of those we support with energy costs are also dealing with anxiety and depression.”

The survey data was based on an online representative poll of 2,209 adults.

A Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesperson said: “Fixing the broken energy system by investing in clean power is at the heart of our mission to protect families against price shocks and make Britain more energy independent.

“We will also support households to cut their bills and reduce fuel poverty through the £150 Warm Home Discount and the Warm Homes Plan – upgrading millions of homes this Parliament.”