Citizens Advice says millions of people cannot afford to heat their homes – and we agree

Millions of people across the UK are suffering in the cold this winter because they can’t afford to pay their domestic fuel  bills, according to new analysis by Citizens Advice.

The charity suggests as many as two million people will disconnect from their gas and electricity this winter because they can’t afford to top-up their prepayment meters.

Meanwhile, it says, more than five million people live in households which are currently in debt to their supplier – many of them resorting to skipping meals, cutting back on food spending and selling or pawning possessions to save money.

We share that bleak assessment as we see evidence of desperate poverty in the women who come to see us every day. 

Here at the the New Futures Project we’ve seen first-hand how the women we support are struggling with the cost of living, including their domestic fuel bills.

Carl Martin, our direct services manager, said: “Unfortunately, we can corroborate what Citizens Advice are saying in this report from our own experience of working with women and their families.

“The situation has been getting increasingly severe for a long time now.”

Citizens Advice said it helped a record number of people with energy debts last year but expects this to be its busiest winter ever. It says a long-term plan to tackle spiralling energy debt is essential.

It has called for “urgent reform” of the Warm Home Discount, which it said has not kept pace with rising prices.

It also urged the government to work with Ofgem to develop a plan to deal with energy debt. “This should include increased funding for energy debt support to help meet spiralling demand,” it said.

Dame Clare Moriarty, chief executive of Citizens Advice, said: “Our frontline advisers are helping more people than ever who can’t pay their energy bill.

“Record numbers are in debt to their supplier and millions with a prepayment meter are too often going without heating and hot meals because they can’t afford to top up. 

“The government has not provided new energy bill support for those in need and has run out of time to develop the long-term approach it promised by April 2024. Without immediate action, we risk re-running this same crisis every winter.”

New Futures was set up to support women involved in sex work.

However, we have evolved into a comprehensive welfare and counselling service for women and young people dealing with sexual abuse or exploitation, domestic violence, trafficking, poverty and debt, substance use or mental ill-health.

Call us on 0116 251 0803 or send us a message at: info@new-futures.org.uk

You can find us at 71 London Road, Leicester, LE2 0PE.

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