Householders looking to seek help from Citizens Advice struggled to get the advice they needed this morning as the organisation had confirmed its website was down.
Citizens Advice confirmed on Twitter this morning (August 2) that part of their website was down but later confirmed it was back up and running after a "minor glitch" this morning. They had not confirmed the reason for the fault but have previously stated that they are facing huge demand amid the cost of living and energy crisis.
Pages that give advice on what consumers can do if they are struggling to pay their energy bills were not loading for several hours on Tuesday morning (August 2), although the main homepage was still appearing.
Between January and March 2022, Citizens Advice said its consumer service helpline saw more than 70,000 cases related to energy issues - a 63% increase on the same period the previous year.
Their prior website crash came at a critical time as many Britons reacted angrily after a further blow when BP reported record energy profits, hitting $8.45bn (£6.9bn) for the three months to June after oil and gas prices soared. Those who are part of the group 'Don't Pay UK' are advising many consumers to simply not pay their gas and electricity bills if they can't afford them but others are wanting to get further advice as each individual's situation and energy supplier can be different.
Previous advice issued from Citizens Advice for those struggling to pay their energy bills has been:
- Agree a payment plan with your supplier.
- Pay off your debt through your benefits.
- Apply for the Fuel Direct scheme.
- Seek extra financial help.
Those who are looking for advice can visit their page here or call their helpline on 0800 144 8848 (for England) and 0800 702 2020 (for Wales).
