Almost 10 million households could find themselves in “fuel stress” this winter if the price cap rises to around £2,800, an economic think tank said. The Resolution Foundation analysis suggested the number of families living in fuel stress – defined as spending at least a tenth of their total budgets on energy bills alone – would rise from five million to 9.6 million.
Jonny Marshall, senior economist at the Resolution Foundation, said: “UK households are set for another huge jump in the energy bills this October – just when the need to heat their homes grows – which could push up to ten million families into fuel stress. The sheer scale and depth of Britain’s cost-of-living crisis means the Government must urgently provide significant additional support.
“The fact that the crisis is so heavily concentrated on low-and-middle incomes households means it’s clear how the Government should target policy support. The benefits system is clearly the best route to support those worst affected in the short term – be that via an early uprating or lump sum payments to help poorer households get through the difficult winter ahead.
