Energy support changes to prompt 87% increase in fuel poverty

National Energy Action (NEA) is expecting changes in government support for energy customers to result in 8.4 million households in fuel poverty from next April.

Last month chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced a raft of changes as part of the government’s efforts to alleviate the impact of spiralling energy costs on consumers.

The average household energy bill under the Energy Price Guarantee will increase by £500 to £3,000 from April next year, while the £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS) will end and instead be targeted to help the most vulnerable consumers.

The figure revealed on Friday (2 December), the charity’s Fuel Poverty Awareness Day, would mean the numbers of households in fuel poverty would have increased by almost 87% since October 2021, an additional 4 million.

Breaking down the figures further, NEA said the changes mean that from April 1.8 million carers, 5.9 million low-income and financially vulnerable households, 3.6 million people with a disability and 1.6 million households in off-gas homes will be in fuel poverty.

Adam Scorer, NEA chief executive, said: “This winter has already been bleak and next year is set to be even worse. With government support being reduced and energy bills spiralling yet again in April, one in three households will be in fuel poverty.

“That means many of them will be forced to bed wearing coats, rationing showers and hot water, it means running up huge debts or self-disconnecting and going cold. Millions of the most vulnerable – carers, people with disabilities, those on low incomes and living in inefficient homes – are already bearing the brunt this winter.

“The situation will continue to get worse next year. The effects of this are devastating on both physical and mental health. Make no mistake, cold homes can kill. Government intervention must prioritise the most vulnerable in 2023 and beyond.”