People tell of their struggles to cope, with energy bills set to soar by more than £700 this year.
Every night, Thelma Spalding goes round her house trying to switch off every appliance.But she's following the advice given to her by her energy company as she desperately tries to keep her fuel bills down.
"In bed you're so cold that it's like you're sleeping outside. My carer gets me dressed and I wear two pairs of leggings, a pair of trousers, a vest, a T-shirt and a dress - and I'm in the house. It's so cold in the kitchen and the bathroom."She adds: "You sit there and you worry about how you are going to pay your bills.
Analysis by the Resolution Foundation, a think tank focusing on living standards, suggests that a price-cap rise of more than 50% will mean average household energy bills go up by more than £700 a year, to about £2,000.The think tank suggests this will tip an extra four million households in England into "fuel stress" - where they spend more than 10% of their family budget on energy bills.
"I'm so acutely aware of what the extra electric is costing me. I'm being very frugal, I won't have a bath - I'll have a shower - and I won't put the heating on, I'll put on layers and blankets," says James, also from Wednesbury, who was forced to give up work because of his deteriorating health. The 51-year-old had to spend the majority of his emergency universal credit payment on rent, with about £60 left over.
Some think they must have been given someone else's energy bill by mistake because it has increased by so much.
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
MPs charge YOU for £3,500 energy bills at their second homesMPs are charging the taxpayer up to £3,500 for their second home energy costs as millions of Brits face spiralling utilities bills. This is because those representing seats outside London are able …
Read more »
2,000,000 more households facing fuel poverty as energy bills soarIn a letter to Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak, 25 charities warn families are having to choose between heating and eating and there will be an increase in the number of people dying from cold in their homes.
Read more »
Boris Johnson risks losing Tory voters by keeping VAT on energy billsBORIS Johnson risks losing Tory voters by keeping VAT on energy bills, a decisive poll reveals today. A whopping 85 per cent of Brits who backed the PM in 2019 say ditching the 5 per cent levy woul…
Read more »
Energy prices are hitting boiling point - so will they continue to rise?ENERGY bosses and the Government are in talks over soaring bills – with £600 hikes due in weeks. But some good news is also on the way. Some 16 million households on average £1,277-per-year price c…
Read more »
Scotland's charity sector hit by dramatic hike in energy costsRocketing energy costs have decimated charities' already tight budgets meaning cuts to vital services.
Read more »
Why are gas prices so high and what is happening to fuel bills?UK households will soon find out how much their gas bills are likely to increase in the coming year Why are gas prices so high?
Read more »