Family resort to cold showers amid energy bill rise

Bethany Walker is borrowing money to stay warm while on maternity leave with her three-month-old baby

Experts have warned that households could be "really in trouble" this autumn as energy prices rise again.

Some families are already resorting to cold showers and borrowing money to pay their bills, but leaders at energy charity Severn Wye believe the crisis is going to worsen when bills rise by 2%.

Bethany Walker from Gloucestershire said her family were avoiding using hot water so they could afford their outstanding gas bill. She said: "My partner is already refusing to use hot water. We're just trying to be as wrapped up as possible to limit the use of the heating."

A spokesperson for the energy regulator Ofgem said it was establishing plans to address the "growing levels of consumer debt".

The new energy cap means an average household will pay £1,755 a year, up £35 a year on the current cap.

Ms Walker, who is currently on maternity leave with her three-month-old baby, said she already had an outstanding bill with her energy supplier "because they increased our prices last Christmas".

"We're paying that as well as what we're actually using," she said: "It's adding on to stress that we don't need."

Ms Walker said they did not qualify for Universal Credit and had been told they were "not entitled to any help", so were borrowing money from her parents.

"It isn't ideal for them because they're also dealing with it, but they would never see their grandchild go cold," she added.

The Ofgem spokesperon said it had taken action already by toughening up requirements on suppliers to take care of their customers and offering financial support to struggling households.

"We know a more enduring solution to addressing energy affordability is needed, and we will continue to work with government and consumer groups to support those who need it most," they added.

Hayley Huntley, who has six children, says she has to "prioritise" which of her remaining bills to pay

In June, it was announced that twice as many households in Britain will get £150 off their energy bills this winter as the government changes the rules on who qualifies for the Warm Home Discount.

But Hayley Huntley, who lives in Kingsway in Gloucester, said the discount "doesn't decrease [her bills] by a lot".

"My electric bill and my gas bill are both £1,900 each already, and we haven't even hit the winter months yet," she said.

"It is really stressful. I've got six children as well. You've got to query what bills to prioritise with food and kids and things like that."

'More debt'

Sandy Ruthven, from Severn Wye, said demand for the charity's support services usually dropped off in the summer, but this year it had increased and "we haven't even hit the winter yet".

The charity, which offers offer free energy advice, debt support, and grants, is expecting to see up to 50% more people using the service than last year because energy debt is piling up.

"People are finding their energy bills even over the summer to be too high, and they're building up more and more debt and really getting into trouble," he said.