Skip to main content

Show your support

Donate to NEA
  • Follow us on LinkedIn
  • Follow us on Twitter
  • Follow us on Facebook
  • Follow us on YouTube
  • Follow us on Instagram
National Energy Action Homepage
  • NEA
  • NEA Cymru
  • NEA N Ireland
  • WHO WE ARE
    • About NEA
    • News and Insights
    • Energy Crisis
    • Campaigns
    • Policy and Research
    • Publications and Resources
    • Innovation and Technical Evaluation
    • Water Poverty
    • APPG Fuel Poverty & Energy Efficiency
  • GET HELP
    • Warm and Safe Homes Advice Service
    • Additional Help
    • Advice Resources
  • WORK WITH US
    • Membership
    • Projects
    • Consultancy and Partnerships
    • Latest Events
    • Smart Meters
    • Warm Home Discount
  • TRAINING
    • Course Outlines
    • Training Dates Diary
    • Schools and Education Resources
  • SUPPORT US
    • Donate
    • Wash Advice
    • Winter Fuel Payment
    • Fundraise
Back

Cost of living in the UK soaring up to its highest level in a decade

Cost of living in the UK soaring up to its highest level in a decade
Date: 17th Nov 2021
Content Type: News
Nation / Region: England , Northern Ireland , Scotland , UK , Wales
Tags: Consumer Protection , Energy Costs

Today the Office for National Statistics ONS released their forecast of consumer price inflation. Inflation rose steeply in October to its highest rate in nearly a decade. The ONS also highlighted the key driver is increased household energy bills. Peter Smith, Director of Policy and Advocacy at fuel poverty charity, NEA, comments:

 “The cost of living in the UK is soaring to its highest level in a decade.

 “Household energy bills were the biggest driver – which have increased by well over £200 since last winter.

 “If energy bills go up again in April by between £400 and £600, as predicted by some energy experts, the cost of heating a home will have more than doubled in a year.

 “Over the same period, those on the lowest incomes have seen their income plummet by over £1000 per year. This places an impossible burden on the shoulders of the poorest households and by April an additional 1.2 to 1.5 million more households would be plunged into fuel poverty across the UK.

 “Without any additional support, millions are sinking further into debt and many are turning off the heating. This leaves them at acute risk of serious ill-health as we head into colder weather. There is already some worrying evidence that is already leading to premature deaths, with weekly deaths up 16.8% more than the five-year average.

 “Soaring gas prices gift Treasury a huge tax windfall. The UK Government should be using these resources to directly help the poorest households reduce their bills. There is also far more the energy regulator, Ofgem, can do help the poorest consumers ”


Please get in touch with Anna Cook, NEA’s Head of Communications (anna.cook@nea.org.uk) if you have an interview request or any queries on our release.


            

Related

Posts

Chancellor’s cost of living measures “avert the darkest of outcomes”

Chancellor’s cost of living measures “avert the darkest of outcomes”

Posted on 26th May 2022
National Energy Action (NEA) chief executive Adam Scorer responds to the Chancellor's cost of living and energy crisis measures.
Nation / Region: England , Northern Ireland , Scotland , UK , Wales
Energy Costs , Energy Efficiency , Fuel Poverty , Policy
Read More
Vulnerable households “left with no choices” as sky rocketing prices hit

Vulnerable households “left with no choices” as sky rocketing prices hit

Posted on 31st Mar 2022
On Friday 1st April an average of over 22 million domestic energy customers across Great Britain will see their home energy
Nation / Region: England , Northern Ireland , Scotland , UK , Wales
Energy Costs , Energy crisis , Energy Markets , Energy Retail , Energy Tariffs , Finance , Fuel Debt , Fuel Poverty
Read More
NEA Northern Ireland statement on Emergency Fuel Payment Scheme

NEA Northern Ireland statement on Emergency Fuel Payment Scheme

Posted on 24th Jan 2022
Over the last number of weeks, we have experienced a significant rise in the number of households seeking emergency support
Nation / Region: Northern Ireland
Energy Costs , Energy crisis
Read More
Urgent need to release funding for a broader package of support for fuel poor households in Northern Ireland

Urgent need to release funding for a broader package of support for fuel poor households in Northern Ireland

Posted on 12th Jan 2022
Letter to Minister
Nation / Region: Northern Ireland
Energy Costs , Energy crisis
Read More
The impact of the energy crisis in Northern Ireland

The impact of the energy crisis in Northern Ireland

Posted on 11th Jan 2022
Letter to NI MPs re the ongoing impacts of the energy crisis in Northern Ireland.
Nation / Region: Northern Ireland
Energy Costs , Energy crisis
Read More
Energy crisis will double average heating bill from April 

Energy crisis will double average heating bill from April 

Posted on 03rd Dec 2021
Fuel poverty charity National Energy Action has today warned average domestic energy bills have already soared by over £230 per customer 
Nation / Region: England , Northern Ireland , Scotland , Wales
Cold Homes , Energy Costs , Energy Markets , Energy Tariffs , Fuel Debt , Fuel Poverty , Housing Standards , Net Zero
Read More
New report highlights UK won’t reach net zero without support for poorer households

New report highlights UK won’t reach net zero without support for poorer households

Posted on 30th Nov 2021
Charities warn recent broken manifesto promise means the poorest households, living in least efficient homes are set to miss out
Nation / Region: England , Northern Ireland , Scotland , Wales
Cold Homes , Debt , Decarbonisation , Energy , Energy Costs , Energy Markets , Energy Tariffs , Fuel Debt , Fuel Poverty , Inequality , Net Zero
Read More
“We all pay the price for leaving the poorest out in the cold”

“We all pay the price for leaving the poorest out in the cold”

Posted on 28th Oct 2021
Regrettably the Chancellor chose not to provide any additional support to help with the soaring costs of energy.
Nation / Region: England , UK , Wales
Budget , Energy , Energy Costs
Read More
500,000 at risk of fuel poverty after tomorrow’s price rises

500,000 at risk of fuel poverty after tomorrow’s price rises

Posted on 30th Sep 2021
Charity says new Household Support Fund welcome but not enough to prevent needless deaths this winter
Nation / Region: England , Scotland , Wales
Consumer Protection , Excess winter death
Read More
Pioneering new safeguarding scheme hits 1000 referral milestone

Pioneering new safeguarding scheme hits 1000 referral milestone

Posted on 22nd Jul 2021
1000 households have been referred to a pioneering new customer safeguarding scheme launched by fuel poverty charity, National Energy Action (NEA),
Nation / Region: England
Advice , Carbon Monoxide , Consumer Protection , Fuel Poverty
Read More
NEA responds to Environmental Audit Committee report calling for front loading of energy efficiency spending to help fuel poor households

NEA responds to Environmental Audit Committee report calling for front loading of energy efficiency spending to help fuel poor households

Posted on 22nd Mar 2021
the Environmental Audit Committee has published a report on how to improve the energy efficiency of the UK's building stock.
Nation / Region: England , Wales
Energy Costs , Energy Efficiency , Fuel Poverty , Housing , Housing Standards , Measures
Read More
Energy suppliers to strengthen support for struggling energy customers

Energy suppliers to strengthen support for struggling energy customers

Posted on 19th Oct 2020
NEA has today welcomed Ofgem’s decision to ensure all energy suppliers across Great Britain provide more support for customers
Nation / Region: England
Consumer Protection , Energy Markets , Fuel Debt , Fuel Poverty , News Release , Ofgem
Read More

Contact Us

Become a Member

Press & Media

  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Vacancies
  • Follow us on LinkedIn
  • Follow us on Twitter
  • Follow us on Facebook
  • Follow us on YouTube
  • Follow us on Instagram
National Energy Action Homepage

NEA is an independent charity Registration No. 290511.

Registered in England No. 1853927