October price cap rise ‘to leave 13 million in the red’


Analysis by Citizens Advice has found that one in four (24%) people in the UK won’t be able to afford to pay their energy bills in October, based on current forecasts. This is double the number already in the red ahead of the price cap rise.


And, the organisation believes, that figure could jump to one in three (34%) people in January if prices rise to the £4,200 recently predicted (see last issue). 


Of those who won’t be able to pay in October, the majority (68%) have a household income of less than £30,000, Citizens Advice says. Some will bear the brunt of rising energy bills, with 3.2 million disabled people and 4.4 million families with children set to be unable to afford October’s increases. 


Dame Clare Moriarty, the charity’s chief executive, said: “Every single day at Citizens Advice we’re already helping people in the most heart-breaking circumstances, trying to scrape together enough to feed their kids and keep the lights on. This will get far, far worse unless the government acts.


“It’s becoming increasingly clear that skyrocketing prices will swallow up all of the help that has been announced so far.


“Every day that goes by without a plan is another day without reassurance for people who desperately need it. We urgently need further support, otherwise we risk a winter of despair for millions.”


https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/about-us1/media/press-releases/october-price-cap-rise-will-leave-13-million-in-the-red