Charity offers help with energy bills as further rises in the price cap are forecast
A national charity is warning that Scottish households will have no respite from high energy bills over the winter, after Ofgem announced that the energy price cap will rise slightly in January.
Advice Direct Scotland, which runs the national energy advice service energyadvice.scot, said thousands of people are facing “stubbornly high” household bills.
Energy regulator Ofgem announced today [FRI] that the cap on what suppliers can charge will rise from £1755 to £1758 on January 1. This is a 0.2% increase on the current level and will see the average bill rise by £3 per year. Current forecasts suggest the price cap will rise again in April.
The new price cap is £620 more than the amount that households were being charged before the energy crisis hit in the autumn of 2021, an increase of 54%.
Advice Direct Scotland is urging anyone worried about energy-related debt to contact its team of experts, who can provide free, impartial, and practical advice. It is also urging all households to review how much they are paying and check whether there are better tariffs available.
The charity said the persistently high cost of gas and electricity underlined why the UK needs a social energy tariff, which could give vulnerable customers access to the cheapest deals. Eligibility for such a tariff could be determined by a variety of metrics.
Jillian Edmund, energy project lead at Advice Direct Scotland, said: “The New Year’s Day price cap rise means that the level will remain stubbornly high over winter, and there is no respite on the horizon with another increase forecast for April.
“Thousands of struggling Scottish households are spending hundreds of pounds per year more than before the energy crisis hit, at the same time as battling other rising living costs.
“For now, customers can take practical action by examining their bills, finding out how much they are paying, and checking if there are cheaper options available with other suppliers.
“Taking regular meter readings and checking the level of your direct debit are as important as ever. If you have a smart meter, ensure that it is working."
Help is available by visiting www.energyadvice.scot or calling 0808 196 8660.