Customers struggling to pay electricity bills soar to 777,000 as experts warn of ‘perfect storm’ amid rising prices and pandemic pressures
- 777,000 customers owed energy firms between July and September last year
- This was the highest number of customers owing money seen since 2015
- Number of households in debt jumped every quarter of year compared to 2019
Soaring numbers of families are struggling to pay electricity bills, research has found.
A total of 777,000 customers owed money to their suppliers between July and September last year – the highest figure since 2015.
The number of households in debt jumped in every quarter of the year compared to 2019.
Soaring numbers of families are struggling to pay electricity bills, research has found. A total of 777,000 customers owed money to their suppliers between July and September last year – the highest figure since 2015 (stock image)
The figures were revealed after a Freedom of Information request to industry watchdog Ofgem by comparison site Energyhelpline.
Experts warned that customers are struggling to cope with a ‘perfect storm’ of rising wholesale prices, an increase in power used by home workers and pressure on family finances from the pandemic.
Wholesale prices – which make up around half of a typical bill – have risen by 8 per cent since April.
Tom Lyon, of Energyhelpline, said: ‘It’s vital that energy suppliers and Ofgem do all they can to support consumers who are struggling to pay spiralling energy bills.’
Experts warned that customers are struggling to cope with a ‘perfect storm’ of rising wholesale prices, an increase in power used by home workers and pressure on family finances from the pandemic (stock image)