Citizens Advice Wales is calling on the UK Government to take immediate action to expand support through the existing Warm Home Discount.
Citizens Advice Wales says households are set to feel the chill with another winter in cold homes, alongside rising worries about health and paying the bills.
With average energy bills still £400 higher than three years ago, new research from Citizens Advice Cymru shows that 41% of households in Wales are worried about keeping up with their energy costs in the coming months. This rises to a staggering 59% of households if the energy price cap rises by 10% in October to £1723, as currently predicted.
Unaffordable energy costs leave households at risk of falling into unmanageable debt or taking drastic actions. More than half (55%) of those who say they are worried about paying their energy bills say they would use less or switch off their heating or hot water this winter to manage their bills, and 2 in 5 (41%) say they would need to cut back on or skip meals.
Far from things getting better, the charity reports record levels of need for advice on energy debt this year. Last winter, over a quarter of households (26%) in Wales struggled to keep their home warm, with renters, households with children and those with a disability or long-term health condition amongst the hardest hit.
Citizens Advice is calling on the UK Government to take immediate action to expand support through the existing Warm Home Discount to provide different levels of support based on a consumer's energy needs. The Welsh Government must step up in its commitment to better insulted, warmer homes across the nation.
Luke Young, Assistant Director of Citizens Advice Cymru said: “Better targeted support is still possible for this winter. Citizens Advice is calling on the UK Government to take immediate action to expand support through the existing Warm Home Discount to provide different levels of support based on a consumer's energy needs.
“In Wales, continued support from the Welsh Government is also critically important. Fuel vouchers and emergency support through the Discretionary Assistance Fund, with specific support for off-grid households, are essential. Protecting and prioritising these measures will be needed to safeguard families and individuals across Wales from the detrimental health effects of cold homes this winter.
“While immediate relief is vital, better insulated, warmer homes are central to reducing fuel poverty and to shielding households from future energy price shocks in the long term. The Welsh Government’s commitment to improving home energy efficiency needs to remain a cornerstone of their strategy to combat fuel poverty.”
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