The axing of the Energy Price Guarantee from April next year could lead to almost 11 million UK households falling into fuel poverty, campaigners have warned. The End Fuel Poverty Coalition described the outlook as “frankly terrifying” and urged the UK Government to focus on a new package of support and energy market reforms, alongside investment in home insulation and renewables.
The predicted increase from the current seven million households in fuel poverty to 10.7 million after the UK Government lifts its guarantee limiting the average household energy bill to £2,500 from April will then fall slightly, but will still leave 10.1 million households in fuel poverty in the winter of 2023/24, the group said.
The figures come as protesters gather in London to ask MPs to back plans for a universal basic energy allowance to meet heating, cooking and lighting needs, part of the ‘Energy For All’ petition which will be handed to Downing Street on Wednesday with more than 600,000 signatures.
