From rationing energy, to telling a child it's a 'pyjama party', Glasgow residents are 'terrified' over the rising cost of energy and say that immediate support needs to be given.
Yesterday was dubbed as 'Bleak Friday' as April 1 marked the beginning of the new price cap that will force energy bills to soar.
Gas wholesale prices reached a record high last year and have yet to fall back down to a 'normal' level, leading to energy regulator Ofgem to increase the price cap to 54 per cent.
This came into force on Friday April 1 and the average household bill will rise by £693 resulting in a yearly bill to hit around £1,971. Meanwhile those on prepayment meters will experience a rise of £708 and the average yearly bill will reach £2,017.
READ MORE- Everything going up in price on Friday as April forces living costs up
It is expected that by October, one in four people in the UK will be in fuel poverty as the price cap is expected to rise further in the autumn.
A recent poll for Advice Direct Scotland found more than two-thirds of Scots are worried about affording their energy bills this year and many already feel cold in their own homes because they are limiting usage.
The research found 70 per cent of respondents were either very worried or quite worried about being able to pay their bills, and 65 per cent said they had already rationed their energy use in the past 12 months so they could afford to spend money on other goods or services, including food.
And of those limiting their usage, 29 per cent said they ‘often’ feel cold in their own home as a result and 57 per cent ‘sometimes’ feel cold – a total of 86 per cent.
The energy price cap, which limits how much providers can charge customers, was introduced in January 2019 and is reviewed by Ofcom every six months
Glasgow Live spoke to Glasgow residents about how they felt about the rising cost of energy and asked if they had done anything to try and limit the amount of usage.
Sophie Middleton, 25, from Bishopbriggs, has seen her bills rise by £100 in the space of a few months. She explained how EDF Energy raised her Direct Debit by £50 in April and then another £50 yesterday morning.
She said: "My bills have jumped over £100 in just a few months. I'm terrified. Only turning the heating on if needed now."
Daniella Theis, 28 from the east end of Glasgow admitted she was now concerned about her future. When asked about how she felt of the new price cap, Daniella replied: "Scared of the uncertainty of what bills will be and the knock on effect this will have on my life."
She explained that she recognised she was in a 'privileged' position and acknowledged that there are people worse off than her, but Daniella shared that she had been trying to save for her future and now her finance plans and budgeting will be impacted.
She added: "My bills have been relatively stable for the last few years thankfully. However even when food prices started to increase I already noticed that I had a lot less disposable money available.
"I know it's privileged to even have that in the first place, but I am worried that having to plan in higher bills, while my income is still the same as before, that I will have less money available for other spending."
And a mum of one, who has asked not to be named, has been forced to ration her energy usage knowing that the major price hike was just round the corner.
She admitted she would only put the heating on when her child was home.
She explained how she has been keeping energy usage to the bare minimum: "I work from home. I sit with my jacket on all day, I wrap a huge blanket over my legs under my desk so people can't see. I have a scarf on all day. I only take my coat off for meetings. I don't work beside my plug, I only charge my laptop when it's dying and I sit in the dark so I don't burn my electricity - my living room has large windows so it's cold but they face away from the sun so it's not very bright."
She added: "I heat my house only when my one year old is home and even then most mornings we huddle under a huge blanket till the house is warm. Additionally, we turn off all our plugs, even just the microwave when we're not actively using it. Our house isn't well insulated so we especially feel the cold. I'll put my toddler's dressing gown on him and pretend it's a special pyjama party but really it's just to help keep him warm."
Energy justice researcher and campaigner, Fraser Stewart, 31, from Glasgow said: "This is the biggest social crisis we’ve faced in recent times. More than just energy bills, the rising costs will kickstart a spiral of debt, poverty, mental and physical health issues and so much more for people already struggling.
"We need immediate financial support for those most at-risk now, a huge energy efficiency campaign, and a rapid and just transition to domestic renewables to make sure people are protected today and into the future."
He added: "The good news is that none of this is inevitable — these are political choices the UK Government is making to protect investor profits. With different choices that put people and planet first, we can not only avert the worst impacts of the current crisis, but do a whole load of good in the process."
Andrew Bartlett, chief executive of Advice Direct Scotland, said: “This sharp rise will come as a devastating blow for many households across Scotland, and will only intensify the current cost-of-living crisis.
“We know many people are already struggling to afford bills, with two-thirds of those who responded to our poll saying they’ve faced the stark choice between heating and other goods or services like food. The important thing to remember is that you don’t have to struggle alone.
“Free, impartial and practical advice is available to everyone in Scotland through our energyadvice.scot service. Our expert advisers are on hand to offer support and advice to anyone with concerns, and our specialist debt advisers at moneyadvice.scot can help if you have personal financial worries, are struggling with debt, or need a way of getting back on track.”
How do you feel about the rising cost of energy? Let us know in the comments.
