Fuel charity sees demand increase by a quarter due to pandemic

Covid-19 has seen demand at the Fuel Bank Foundation’s centres increase by almost a quarter on average, the charity has revealed.

Fuel Bank Foundation, which provides emergency financial support to people in fuel crisis, said it has seen a significant increase in demand for its services since the start of the pandemic.

On average, the number of people seeking help has risen 23 per cent across its more than 140 centres. Some centres have seen demand increase by more than 300 per cent.

The charity’s Fuel Crisis Report published today (8 February) contains results from a survey of more than 380 people who have previously accessed Fuel Bank Foundation’s services.

It found that 89 per cent of people who contacted Fuel Bank Foundation for support are currently struggling to top up their prepayment gas and/or electricity meters.

Of those surveyed, 82 per cent said the Covid-19 crisis and national lockdowns had made them more worried about running out of money to pay for energy.

Prioritising household budgets and rationing gas and electricity is a regular occurrence for those struggling. Almost all (96 per cent) of survey respondents have had to make the choice between topping up their meter and buying food for their family, with 60 per cent having to make that choice on a daily or weekly basis.

The vast majority (91 per cent) said they have had to ration heating and hot water, while 80 per cent have had to make the sacrifice between having a cooked meal and relying on cold food instead.

Matthew Cole, Fuel Bank Foundation chair of trustees, said: “The results of our survey paint a stark picture of how difficult life currently is for many vulnerable families and individuals.

“Our Fuel Bank Centres across the UK have all reported increased demand for financial support from people struggling to pay for gas and electricity over the past 12 months. In some of the worst areas, we have seen demand increase by more than 300 per cent.

“Running out of fuel completely and having meters switched off is the worst-case scenario. The majority of those who end up in this situation were or had been borrowing money from friends or family and using emergency credit on their meter. It’s like they have exhausted their options for support and have no choice but to disconnect.

“Covid-19 is undoubtedly exacerbating the situation and as the pandemic continues, with a third national lockdown now imposed, living and financial situations are likely to worsen.”

Since it was launched in 2015, Fuel Bank has helped 400,000 people and provided more than £6 million of funding through its voucher scheme to support vulnerable families and individuals unable to pay for fuel.

The charity’s report follows the recent announcement by Ofgem that it was increasing the price cap by almost £100.

The default cap, which will come into effect in April, will also allow suppliers to claim £23 to cover higher levels of bad debt from more customers being unable to pay their energy bills due to the impact of Covid.