SOARING energy bills will lead to people suffering and living on the streets, Britons warned today after Ofgem’s price cap rose by 54 per cent and as the cost of living continues to soar.
Almost half of adults were already struggling to pay their energy bills before the biggest jump in prices in living memory took effect this week, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Andie Darlington from Belper, Derbyshire, said that she had been paying £39 per month, but an email on Friday informed her that her new monthly bill would be £133.68.
The 48-year-old, who was recently made redundant from her job, said: “It was a massive, massive shock. I knew the price was going to rise, I thought it might double, but this much – who can afford that?
“Even people who were relatively well off, they’re not going to be able to afford this. And people on benefits, they’re just absolutely screwed.”
Ms Darlington was originally with energy supplier Avro but moved to Octopus Energy when Avro went bust.
Her bill will be reduced to £111.68 from April 2023 and she has savings that will tide her over for a few weeks, she but is already having to “wear loads of clothes” and not heat her home.
She said: “We’re supposed to be the fifth-richest economy in the world and people are relying on foodbanks.
“Foodbanks are in more demand than ever and that was before all this happened.
“You’re going to get people losing their homes and living on the streets before too long.”
Joanne Stubbs of Energy Support And Advice UK, a Facebook group with more than 37,000 members, said the government has not been doing enough to tackle the problem.
“It needs to be emphasised that people are going without… people are not eating for days,” the 34-year-old from Nottingham said.
“Children’s only meals are those at school and those who have working parents, who do not receive any help money wise, go without full stop.
“The government is so out of touch with reality and feels this is a minority. It’s not.
“We do often wonder if any MPs would survive on minimum wage with no help – things would change fast.
“People are scared and worried about what is ahead, and nothing is in place to protect them.”
