Fuel poverty is a year-round problem, charity warns

Fuel poverty is a year-round problem which affects people in the warmer months as well as winter, Citizens Advice Scotland has warned.

The charity said it was contacted by more than 4,000 Scots between April and June for advice on energy bills.

David Hilferty, the charity’s director of impact, said the increase would “pile even more pressure” on people already struggling to pay their energy bills.

The warning comes as gas and electricity prices are set to rise by 2% for millions of households in the UK under the latest cap announced by energy regulator Ofgem.

“It will mean more people suffering the cold and going without food or warmth as we head into the winter,” he said. “This is unacceptable.

“There’s been no let up… even in the warmer months. The average debt that we see across the last five years has doubled to £2,500.”

He said consumers were now getting into debt “just to live” and called for a change to the “broken” energy market.

“We need government, regulators and energy companies all to step up and urgently deliver lasting solutions, like a social tariff and a robust scheme for energy debt relief, solutions that stop people from experiencing harm.”

The price cap increase, which will kick in at the start of October, means a household using a typical amount of energy will pay £1,755 a year, up £35 a year on the current cap.

Ofgem’s cap sets the maximum price that can be charged for each unit of gas and electricity for millions of households in England, Scotland and Wales.

Individual households can calculate their estimated specific change by adding £2 onto every £100 they spend at the moment on energy each year.

In response to the latest rise, First Minister John Swinney posted a video on X in which he said bills were already too high.

He said: “When Labour came to power, they said they’d lower energy bills.

“But after today’s increase, energy bills are going to be about £187 higher than when Labour came to power.

“In energy-rich Scotland, that is indefensible. The only way to lower energy bills for good is with independence.”

UK energy minister Michael Shanks said the new the price rise was “a concern” for consumers, and the government would take “urgent action to support vulnerable families”.

“That includes expanding the £150 warm home discount to 2.7 million more households and stepping up our overhaul of the energy system to increase protections for customers,” he added.

Advice Direct Scotland, a service which offers free advice and information about energy, is urging people to keep across their energy use and contact them if they have concerns.

Energy project lead Jillian Edmund said: “Customers can take practical action by examining their bills, finding out how much they are paying and checking if there are cheaper options available with other suppliers.

“Taking regular meter readings and checking the level of your direct debit are as important as ever. If you have a smart meter, ensure that it is working.

“The most important thing to remember is that nobody should struggle alone, and help is available.”