The region's poorest families are relying on charities that were started in Victorian times to keep people out of the workhouse, according to Newcastle Citizens Advice.
The organisation has revealed that more people are seeking help than at any point during the pandemic - and that's before the energy bills increase starts in April.
Crisis support - including referrals to food banks and advice on emergency one-off grants - is at the highest level on record.
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And advice on managing energy debts has reached unprecedented heights.
“Advisers are hearing desperate stories of families living in just one room to keep warm, people turning off their fridges to save money and others relying on hot water bottles instead of heating due to fears about mounting bills," said Shona Alexander, chief executive of Newcastle Citizens Advice.
"We are seeing so many people who are really worried about how they are managing now, never mind when fuel goes up. We know of families who have 'self-disconnected' their meter as they are so frightened of using more fuel that they can afford to pay for.
"Worryingly, we also see people completely in denial - the ones who are not opening their letters from the energy company and burying their heads in the sand as they don't know what to do.
"We are making applications for one-off crisis grants on their behalf to charities, some of which were set up in the Victorian era to keep families out of the workhouse.
" Thomas Thompson's Poor Rate Gift was established for the "poor people of Byker" in 1889 and still helping to provide people with washing machines, cookers and such like.
"It is a very small charity administered by Newcastle City Council and it is usually over-subscribed.
"Another similar charity we have worked with for years is the Non Ecclesiastical Charity of William Moulton, which was set up a few years later in 1938 to help poor people in the Diocese of Newcastle upon Tyne.
"It can be reached at williammoulton.charity@gmail.com or by calling (0191) 2537693."
A more modern charity to support families in hardship is the Greggs Foundation, set up in 1987, and as large part of its funding supports breakfast clubs for school children, which can be a huge help to struggling families.
"All of these trusts are now helping to bridge the growing gaps in the welfare "safety net", as are food banks," said Shona.
"We have seen a sharp rise in the numbers of people coming to us for help with applications to these trusts, sent to us by Job Centre staff, housing associations and mental health support workers."
An estimated 16.2% of households in Newcastle are already thought to be in fuel poverty, which is defined as when a household is unable to afford to heat their home to an adequate temperature.
And Shona says that workers at Newcastle Citizens Advice are very worried about these families and how they will cope when the price cap rises to £1971 in April.
"It is the perfect storm, and there are so very many families who are really struggling now," she said.
"The measures brought in by the Chancellor Rishi Sunak won't even touch the sides - the rebate on the council tax will probably be eaten up by the predicted rise in the cost of council tax anyway.
"31,000 households in Newcastle were affected when the £20 Universal Credit uplift was scrapped, and a lot of those have never recovered from losing that money.
"Food is costing more money, council tax is going up and then the rise on the energy price cap is the final straw to a lot of families, who are just panicking about how they will cope.
"These households have no back-up. They may have lost their job or been furloughed during the pandemic and have used up what little money they had set aside.
"Often their wider families are in the same boat, so going to family for help isn't an option either.
"The best advice we can give to people right now is don't get into more debt, speak to companies you owe money to and be completely honest with them about how much you owe and how much you can afford to pay back each week.
"Avoid loan sharks at all costs and come and talk to Citizens Advice, as we can help people to ensure they are claiming all they are entitled to as well as showing them how to access food and clothes banks and schemes run by Northumbrian Water and some fuel companies to help people in crisis.
Some councils also have a hardship fund for council tax and rent, but people need to talk to us and make sure they are getting as much as they can to help them out."
