Changes to the maximum amount energy suppliers can charge people on default tariffs for each unit of energy and the daily standing charge
Every 3 months Ofgem review and set a level for how much an energy supplier can charge for each unit of energy and daily standing charge, under the price cap.
From 1 October to 31 December 2025 the price for energy for a typical household who use electricity and gas and pay by Direct Debit will go up by 2% to £1,755 per year. However, compared to the start of 2023, this is £625 (26.3%) lower than when the energy crisis was at its peak.
For a typical household, their energy bills will increase by £2.93 a month or £35.14 per year. This is 2.2% per year higher than the price cap set for the same period last year, from 1 October to 31 December 2024 (£1,717). But when adjusted for inflation, it is 0.9% lower than the same period in 2024. Based on the current inflation rate, a typical household will pay £102 from October to December instead of £100 per month.
Costs included in the energy price cap
The level of the energy price cap is made up of different costs, for example the wholesale cost of gas and electricity, costs to supply energy on the network and VAT. These costs are split within the energy price cap between the unit rate and the standing charge.
Energy price cap rates 1 October to 31 December 2025
Electricity rates
If you are on a standard variable tariff (default tariff) and pay for your electricity by Direct Debit, you will pay on average 26.35 pence per kilowatt hour (kWh). The daily standing charge is 53.68 pence per day. This is based on the average across England, Scotland and Wales and includes VAT.
Gas rates
If you are on a standard variable tariff (default tariff) and pay for your gas by Direct Debit, you will pay on average 6.29 pence per kilowatt hour (kWh). The daily standing charge is 34.03 pence per day. This is based on the average across England, Scotland and Wales and includes VAT.
Why energy prices have gone up
There have been increases to parts of the costs of transporting energy in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales). Network operators are adjusting costs based on the level set by the National Electricity System Operator so that electricity supply is secure.
Other costs that go towards government schemes and essential support are also a factor for this increase.
Managing your energy bills and tariff
You are covered by the energy price cap if you are on a default tariff and pay for your electricity and gas by either:
standard credit (payment made when you get your electricity and gas bill)
Direct Debit
prepayment meter
Economy 7 (E7) meter
The actual amount you pay will depend on how much energy your household uses, where you live and the type of meter you have.
You could pay less for your energy by changing your energy tariff or payment type. Find out if you can change or fix your tariff and how to switch energy supplier.
Tell your energy supplier if you cannot pay your bills. They must help you if you ask. They could set up a repayment plan or provide you with emergency credit.
We are reviewing how we allocate costs, and the impact of investments and upgrading infrastructure on customers’ bills. This will help make sure that the costs recovered are fair to consumers and efficient.
Next energy price cap review
We review and set a level on how much an energy supplier can charge for each unit of energy including the standing charge every 3 months. The levels for the period 1 January 2026 to 31 March 2026 will be published by 25 November 2025.
The Charity Commission has published its annual public and trustee research, revealing a stark long-term rise in people seeking charitable support amid continued high levels of public trust in charities.
The Commission’s annual survey of public attitudes to charities reveals that in the last year 9% of people in England and Wales received food, medical or financial support from charitable organisations, compared to just 3% five years ago.
While demand for such services has risen dramatically, the Commission’s research shows that charities themselves are feeling increased financial pressure.
Over the same five-year period, the proportion of people who said they’d donated to, or raised funds for charity in the past year, fell from 62% to 48% as households have felt the pinch.
Nearly half of charity trustees said their charity had been forced to make changes as a result of cost-of-living pressures in the past year (46%). This included stopping some services (11%) and using more of their reserves than expected (17%).
Against the backdrop of these challenges, public trust in charities remains high, with almost 60% of people reporting high trust in charities – placing them second only to doctors among trusted institutions.
The research indicated that public confidence in charitable spending has improved, with over 6 in 10 people believing donations are reaching the intended cause. This confidence has risen by 7 percentage points in 12 months.
In other findings, the research suggested that charities’ campaigning activities are unlikely to diminish public support in their work – and for nearly half, may increase it. Fewer than 1 in 20 said they would be less likely to support a charity that campaigned, suggesting continued public support for charities that advocate for their beneficiaries.
In the Commission’s annual survey of trustees, also released today, there are signs of slight improvement in banking services, after the regulator and its partners highlighted persistent issues for many charities.
The research found that 38% of trustees reported problems with their charity’s bank, which is down from 42% in 2024, but remains an issue for many.
Charity Commission Chief Executive, David Holdsworth, said: “These findings highlight the central role of the charitable sector at a time of significant pressures in wider society.
“Charities are providing a vital lifeline to ever more people, while simultaneously navigating their own financial challenges as donors feel the pinch.
“It’s encouraging to see improved public confidence in charitable spending, though there is no room for complacency. Charities must continue to keep their charitable purposes central to everything they do because this remains a key driver in maintaining public trust.
“The data paints both a challenging picture and a hopeful one – showing a sector that continues to be a bedrock of support and community for people across the country as well as overseas, despite navigating unprecedented demand in an increasingly unstable global landscape.”
New report reveals harrowing accounts from children facing unsafe housing, food insecurity and barriers to education – with many normalising deprivation
Children express clear understanding of systemic failures, calling for more accessible and compassionate support and services
Urgent reforms across housing, transport, education and community safety needed to break the link between a child’s background and future opportunities
Children in England are facing ‘Dickensian levels’ of poverty, going without basic needs like heating, a place to wash, somewhere to eat breakfast, or safe transport to school.
Frank testimonies from school-age children, shared in new research by the Children’s Commissioner, expose a crisis of hardship, shame and systemic failures and illustrate the stark reality of what it means to live on a low income in 2025.
The Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza has set out practical recommendations for tackling – and ending – child poverty based on the insights children have shared with her.
These have been shared with the government’s Child Poverty Unit to shape its forthcoming strategy and ensure it reflects the many ways children experience poverty: going hungry, feeling unsafe at home, travelling hours to get an education and being stigmatised for having less that their peers.
‘Every time I got [food packages] the food was always out of date and mouldy…I know I’m poor but I’m not going to eat mouldy food.’ – Boy, 15
‘The system’s so muddled up that they make you feel greedy for even wanting it…. it’s our rights. We didn’t choose to be poor.’ – Boy, 18
‘Some of it [free school meals] looks like food you wouldn’t feed to a dog’. – Boy, 15.
‘Sometimes if I have the money, I catch the bus, but sometimes I have to walk and I just feel very uncomfortable… at nighttime.’ – Girl, 14.
Recommendations include the introduction of a ‘triple-lock’ on all child-related benefits, to help alleviate the severe conditions children and their families are living through, and to deliver greater financial security for hundreds of thousands of children. All four UK Children’s Commissioners – from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – have jointly backed this call, alongside a repeated call to end the two-child benefits limit to prevent hundreds of thousands of children being driven into poverty.
Other proposals from Dame Rachel de Souza include free bus travel for all school-age children, priority for housing to be given to children in low-income households, auto-enrolment for free school meals for all eligible children, improved communication and data-sharing between schools, GPs and local authorities.
Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza said: ““Since becoming Children’s Commissioner, I have been struck by the change in how children talk about their family lives over that four-year period. Issues that were traditionally seen as ‘adult’ concerns are now keenly felt by children, who see their parents’ worries and the struggles they face: the hours they work, the homes they live in and the ability to put food on the table.
“Children shared harrowing accounts of hardship, with some in almost-Dickensian levels of poverty. They don’t talk about ‘poverty’ as an abstract concept but about not having the things that most people would consider basic: a safe home that isn’t mouldy or full or rats, with a bed big enough to stretch out in, ‘luxury’ food like bacon, a place to do homework, heating, privacy in the bathroom and being able to wash, having their friends over, and not having to travel hours to school.
“Children spoke to me about the sense of shame that comes from knowing you have less – but, as one of the richest societies in the world, it is decision makers who should be ashamed that children are growing up knowing their futures are being determined by their financial circumstances.
“We have seen some positive steps by the government to get more money into families’ pockets – but we need leaders at every level: government, business, transport and every public service to commit to bold, practical measures that break the link between a child’s background and their opportunities.”
In interviews and focus groups with 128 children aged between six and 18, children didn’t talk about ‘poverty’ directly but were acutely aware they were growing up not having enough money to do the same things as their peers and feeling a sense of shame at being seen as ‘lesser’.
Everyday impact of poverty: Children spoke about their families going without heating, food, and other essentials, often accepting these hardships as normal. Many experienced poor-quality, overcrowded and unsafe housing, as well as frequent moves while facing long waits from housing providers and prolonged stays in temporary accommodation, leaving children with no stability or space to thrive, which impacted their wellbeing and education;
Food insecurity and health inequality: Rising costs mean many families have limited access to nutritious food, relying on food banks, school parcels or poor-quality free school meals, about which children raised concerns around the quality and stigma of receiving. Children also face long waits for healthcare and unequal access to mental health services, with a perception of a two-tier system, where those who can afford private care receiving faster treatment.
Barriers to education and opportunity: Children highlighted the cost of uniforms, limited transport meaning long walks or complicated commutes to school, and access to extracurricular activities as major obstacles. Schools play a crucial role in supporting children, but reported support was inconsistent. Limited career guidance and low pay were also cited as restricting the prospects for young people experiencing poverty.
Broken system and inaccessible support: Children showed a striking awareness of their family’s access to social security benefits, including the need for benefit rates to be increased. Many spoke of the need to make the system easier to navigate and with better access to services like housing, repairs, GPs, and school-based initiatives.
Unsafe and isolated communities: High crime, unsafe streets and unaffordable transport left children feeling vulnerable and cut off. Despite this, strong community bonds offer a sense of belonging and resilience in the face of hardship.
In response to children’s evidence, the Children’s Commissioner highlights the need for changes beyond the social security system to the public services that children rely on. Her recommendations include:
Uplifts to all child-related benefits on an annual basis as costs rise, so families can meet their children’s basic needs, and removing the two-child limit;
Housing reforms to ensure no child or family is housed in any B&B-type accommodation for more than six weeks. Children in low-income households should be prioritised for affordable housing and no child should ever be placed in temporary accommodation alongside other single adults;
Improved access to transport so as many children as possible benefit from free bus travel – as a minimum, all school age children in England should have free bus travel;
Improved oversight of Free School Meals, with better assessment and enforcement of school food standards to ensure all children receive nutritious, high-quality meals – and for all eligible children to be auto-enrolled to receive them;
Increased safety in communities, with visible reforms for children including prioritising the rollout of PCSOs, increased street lighting and more neighbourhood watch style initiatives in areas with children on low incomes.
Long-term vision for youth activities with children from low-income households front and centre of the government’s forthcoming National Youth Strategy, as well as a commitment to funding the Holiday Activities and Food programme beyond April 2026.
Children’s testimonies:
‘I would…change the amount of money people get from Universal Credit…because £920, is that enough for one month?’ Girl, 11.
‘In our area sometimes there’s stuff like robbing and sometimes there’s drunk people and stabbing … It’s not really a nice because sometimes it can be really dangerous… but sometimes it can be a nice merry community.’ Boy, 8.
‘Sometimes when I need to take a bath or have a shower, the water doesn’t really work sometimes… so sometimes when [children] don’t have enough water to take a shower, they always just have to go to school not clean and they didn’t shower.’ Girl, 10.
‘They’d make you walk in the cafeteria with everyone there, so everyone knows you’re poor because you have to wear a lanyard or a band on your wrist…Everyone had regular water bottles, but they had different ones for free school meals that were smaller than everyone else’s.’ Boy,18.
‘Sometimes when we go to my auntie’s house, she gives us food to take because she cooks out of home…that’s the only time I eat normal food and not take out.’ Boy, 13.
‘I remember when my sister was just born…you have to keep the house warm. But you can’t keep the house warm…because there was six of us in the house at the time…you’re trying to feed everyone, keep everyone warm and then pay for every expense around the house, so it’s quite a lot’. – Girl, 16.
‘[My mum’s] always encouraged me to reach out and try and find jobs or…some kind of income because we are quite low on the ground.’ Girl, 16.
‘I grew up in a household where my mum has [severe illness], so I’m a young carer, I have been since I was 8…I still can’t get carers allowance because I’m in full time education but the second I get in, I’m still doing all my jobs, still looking after them. What am I meant to do? Not go to college or uni? You have to give up your whole life just to care for your family, it’s all good but…you need a future.’ – Boy, 18.
‘In my house, the heating doesn’t work. Every time we [put the heating on] it’ll take like £10 a day from our electricity. And sometimes the electricity just turns off.’ Girl, 10.
‘It took [the council] three months to move us out, which was…so much stress …and the mould was making me so ill…We got home and there was a hole in our floor and the mould wasn’t done properly…It feels like you’re fighting a one-way battle because they they’re not actually doing what they can do to support us.’ Girl, 17.
‘There are a bunch of people who walk by going to a club – when they leave, they’re always drunk and chucking glass around.’ Boy, 10.
Thousands more young people to benefit from August
More than 6,000 high school pupils will be eligible for free school meals from the beginning of the next school year, further supporting the Scottish Government’s national mission to eradicate child poverty.
This trial phase of the free school meals programme will see S1 to S3 pupils in receipt of the Scottish Child Payment, who attend selected schools in eight local authority areas, receive a nutritious and healthy meal. This takes the number of pupils being offered free school meals in Scotland to over 360,000.
An investment of £3 million will support almost 60 schools across eight proposed areas of Aberdeen, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Fife, Glasgow, Moray, North Ayrshire, Shetland and South Lanarkshire from August 2025.
First Minister John Swinney made the announcement during a visit to Springburn Academy in Glasgow, where 140 more pupils could benefit.
The First Minister said: “The free school meals programme is key in our national mission to eradicate child poverty, which saves families who take up the offer around £450 per eligible child per year. This next phase of the rollout will ensure that this offer is available to more families across the country.
“We know the positive impact that access to a healthy and nutritious meal can have on a pupil’s learning and achievement in school.
“This demonstrates how important the programme is in our efforts to close the poverty-related attainment gap in Scotland, ensuring that every child is given an opportunity to succeed in education regardless of their background.
“The Scottish Government will also continue its broader support to tackle the cost of the school day, including our £14.2 million School Uniform Clothing Grant and our investment in the £1 billion Scottish Attainment Challenge.”
Proposals to support pensioners in Scotland this winter
All pensioners in Scotland with an income of less than £35,000 will receive Pension Age Winter Heating Payments this winter of either £203.40 or £305.10 per household, Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville has confirmed.
This means pensioners in Scotland will be better off compared to those in the rest of the UK.
Pensioner households with no-one aged 80 or over will receive £203.40, rising to £305.10 for households with someone aged 80 or over.
Following the UK Government’s recent change to winter fuel payments, the Scottish Government will withdraw the current amendment regulations before the Scottish Parliament, which were previously lodged in order to protect pensioners in Scotland against the UK Government’s planned cuts to winter fuel payments.
The move will now see over 720,000 Scottish pensioners benefit.
Ms Somerville said: “The UK Government’s decision to cut the Winter Fuel Payment last winter was a betrayal of millions of pensioners, and their recent U-turn is welcome if belated.
“Following careful consideration of the options available, the Scottish Government will mirror the approach taken by the UK Government. We will bring forward regulations to ensure that, from this winter onwards, all pensioners will receive either £203.40 or £305.10 per household, depending on age.
“We are in discussion with the UK Government to extend the proposed arrangements in England and Wales to recover payments from those pensioners with an individual income of more than £35,000 through the tax system.
“The intention is that the payment will be recovered automatically, and pensioners will not need to register with HMRC for this or take any further action.
“This approach ensures a higher level of support which those most in need will receive. Over 720,000 Scottish pensioners are estimated to benefit from the higher payment.”
Leading pensioner poverty charity welcomes decision on Pension Age Winter Heating Payment
Debbie Horne, Scotland Policy and Public Affairs Manager at Independent Age, said: “We welcome today’s confirmation from the Scottish Government that all older people with an income of less than £35,000 a year will receive the higher rate of Pension Age Winter Heating Payment.
“This decision will provide some comfort to the hundreds of thousands of older people in Scotland who live in fuel poverty.
“In a compassionate and wealthy society, no one should struggle to stay warm in the winter due to cost. The commitment by the Scottish Government to uprate the PAWHP annually is also welcome and key to ensuring the payment does not lose its value due to inflation.
“This means the payment will now be worth £203.40 or £305.10 per household, depending on age, with the payment recovered through tax from those with an income over £35,000.
“We welcome this decision and hope the Scottish Government continues to take steps to reduce financial hardship, including the creation of a strategy to tackle pensioner poverty.”
Thousands of children to attend free breakfast clubs today, as UK government delivers its manifesto commitment and promise to working families
School mornings just got easier for families across England as 750 schools open breakfast clubs today, offering 30 minutes of free childcare, a healthy start for kids and a little more breathing room before the school bell rings.
Parents will be supported with additional time at the start of the day to attend appointments, get to work on time and run errands. In total, this means parents will be able to save up to 95 additional hours and £450 per year if their child attends free breakfast clubs every day.
This amount rises to a saving of up to £8,000 every year when combining the free breakfast clubs with further support through the expansion of government-funded childcare and new school uniform cap on branded items.
With the cost of everyday essentials stretching budgets, these clubs will be a lifeline for working families simply trying to get by. When you’re raising a family, every penny counts and that’s why the government is stepping in to ease the pressure and put money back in parents’ pockets.
No matter the postcode or the pay packet, every child deserves the same chance to thrive. That’s the principle behind this rollout — real support for families in every corner of the country, so no one is left behind.
These clubs sit alongside action to tackle the cost of living, with inflation falling for two months in a row, wages growing faster than prices and fuel duty frozen. The Labour government says that, together, they show the Plan for Change is delivering for working families.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “As a parent, I know that the combined pressures of family life and work can often feel impossible to juggle. That is why our manifesto promised to make parents lives easier and put more money in their pockets with free breakfast clubs. Under a year since we came into office, this government is delivering that through our Plan for Change.
“The rollout of free breakfast clubs is a truly game-changing moment for families in this country. They mean parents will no longer be hamstrung by rigid school hours and have the breathing space they need to beat the morning rush, attend work meetings and doctors’ appointments, or run errands. And crucially, it means better life chances for children.
“By making these clubs free and universal, we’re doing something that previous governments have never done. We’re going further and faster to deliver the change working families deserve. That’s the change this government was elected to deliver.”
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “Free breakfast clubs are a central part of our Plan for Change. At a time when there is so much pressure on families, they provide real help with the cost of living and ensure children start the day with a nutritious meal.
“On top of the hectic school run, parents should not have to worry about how to balance work and getting their children fed and ready for school. These clubs will break down barriers and help children settle in, focus and get the most out of their learning.
“We are delivering on our promises and giving every child the best start in life while making sure families get the support they need, wherever they live.”
According to new government data, parents are also motivated to take up free breakfast clubs because of the improvements they can have on their wellbeing.
Many see them as is an opportunity to socialise with other children before school (30%) and spend more time doing the activities they enjoy (28%) – offering a supportive start to the day that leads to better behaviour, and better life chances.
The rollout delivers on the government’s manifesto promise to ensure state schools offer free breakfast clubs to all pupils; while supporting its Plan for Change milestone to ensure tens of thousands more children start school ready to learn.
Victoria Taylor, mum of two children aged 5 and 7, said: “For me, free breakfast clubs provide vital support, meaning I can get into work a little easier and ensure my two kids are settled and ready to learn.
“I’m a primary school teacher, so early mornings are a must however I try to not let my busy schedule dictate the pace of mornings.
“Taking my children to breakfast clubs means I know they are fed, ready to start the day and emotionally regulated – the commitment to rollout nationally will make the world of difference for working families.”
Trade unions argue that the funding allocated to breakfast clubs just isn’t enough, while charities and campaigners say that scrapping the current two child benefit cap would make a far greater difference in tackling poverty for the poorest families.
Due to the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, the rising costs of running the Home have outpaced the funds we’ve been able to raise, despite the continued generosity and support of our incredible community.
If we do not take immediate and decisive action, there is a genuine risk that the Home will no longer be able to continue in the years ahead. This is not an outcome we can accept, as we know how much the Home means to the many people and pets we support across the country.
As we face these unprecedented challenges, we have had to undertake a restructuring exercise to ensure we can continue to operate effectively and sustainably for the long term.
This means that we have made the difficult and unavoidable decision to become a smaller team as well as make a slight reduction to our opening hours.
We’re so grateful to all our team who have stood by the Home during this tough time, continuing to deliver exceptional care and support to pets and their owners, and thank them for their hard work and dedication to our important mission.
Our mission remains the same, as we project that the need for our services will only increase. We are fully committed to doing whatever is necessary to protect the future of Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home and the pets and pet owners we support.
Leading anti-poverty charity, Trussell, launched Football vs Hunger – a campaign aimed at encouraging football clubs and fans to play their part in ending hunger in Scotland at this weekend’s St Johnstone match at McDiarmid Park in Perth.
During the 23/24 SPL and SPFL seasons, 211,609 emergency food parcels were distributed across Scotland – this includes 69,148 parcels provided for children facing hunger across the country. This is enough parcels to put one on every seat in Hampden Park four times over, with thousands of food parcels extra.
Clubs from throughout Scotland, have already joined Trussell’s Football vs Hunger campaign and have signed the Football vs Hunger charter.
This charter involves a number of commitments, including to call out and work to stamp out poverty chanting if it happens in the ground or from when the club’s fans are visiting opposition stadiums.
Hunger in Scotland isn’t a food problem – it’s an income problem. If everyone has enough money to for the essentials, we’ll end hunger for good. We know what needs to change to make this future possible, but we can only get there if everyone plays their part.
The clubs who have signed the charter are also encouraging fans to sign up to Trussell FC on the Trussell website to support the charge to end the need for food banks in Scotland.
Francis Smith, CEO of St Johnstone FC, said:“Football has a proud history of leading the way in shaping a better society, by uniting as one voice.
“Food banks are a lifeline for people facing hardship – but they’re not the solution. All of us at St Johnstone FC believe that everyone should have enough money to afford the essentials and that there shouldn’t be a single person in our community who has to experience hunger.
“Everyone at the club is so proud of how Saints fans already rally to support the local food bank. That’s why we want to encourage you to join football’s fight against hunger, and sign for Trussell FC – the only other team we’ll wholeheartedly encourage you to support.”
Football legend, Jeff Stelling, has thrown his support behind the campaign, saying: “Hunger in the UK was never an issue I expected to become so significant in 2025, but has become one of the most critical concerns in modern Britain.
“It’s just not right that so many people can’t afford to feed their families, and need to turn to food banks.
“That’s why I’m proud to support Football vs Hunger, and join the football community helping to end the need for food banks.”
Lori Hughes, Project manager at Perth and Kinross foodbank, said:“Football is made up of great rivalries, but one thing the football community can agree on is that we need to end hunger in the UK.
“Football vs Hunger is a rallying cry for everyone who loves the game to stand up for the people in their communities who can’t afford the essentials. So whatever colour shirt you wear, sign up to Trussell FC and join the football wide effort to end the need for food banks.”
Ellie Lambert, Head of Activations at Trussell, said:“Football clubs sit at the heart of almost every community in Scotland, that’s why we are delighted that so many clubs are choosing to show their support for our Football vs Hunger campaign.
“With hundreds of thousands of fans believing that there should be no place in a modern Britain for food banks, football can be a powerful voice for positive change.”
As consumers brace themselves for the higher prices kicking in from today across bills including energy, water and broadband, those on the lowest incomes are running out of options, Citizens Advice warns.
Households in the lowest 10% for income already spend around two fifths (41%) of their earnings – after housing – on water, energy, broadband and car insurance bills. This compares to 11% for those on middle incomes, with those in the top 10% for income spending just 5%.
These latest findings come from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), as part of a Citizens Advice led-partnership with IPPR, abrdn Financial Fairness Trust and Policy in Practice looking at social tariffs.
Their research found single-adult households, and particularly those with children, are more likely than other groups to be spending 20% or more of their post-housing income on these bills, leaving them more exposed to price shocks.
If well-targeted social tariffs and bill support schemes were rolled out across water, energy, broadband and car insurance markets, the IPPR found that could save households hundreds of pounds a year.
For example, if social tariffs reduced these essential bills by 25%, for those in the lowest 10% for income, it could bring in savings of around £13 a week or £680 a year. This would be equivalent to a boost of income (after housing costs) of around a tenth for a typical household in this group.
Sara’s story
Citizens Advice sees the difference social tariffs can make. The charity supported Sara [not her real name], whose disability, medical conditions and her son’s needs make it vital for her to have a phone and internet.
She said: “Citizens Advice gave me advice on benefits, food banks and utility bills – how to cut down on them with social tariffs for water, phone and broadband. I can’t let go of my phone and the internet.
It’s very important because of my illness. I’ve got a special telecom alarm for when I fall, so I need wifi in the house. It helps a lot.”
Dame Clare Moriarty, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice said: “After years of cost-of-living pressures, households across the country are about to feel the extra shock of rising essential bills. But for those on the lowest incomes, these unavoidable costs are already eating away at their finances, leaving their budgets stretched beyond breaking point.
“Social tariffs could be an effective safety net and put money back in people’s pockets, but the government and providers must work together to make sure nobody struggling to make ends meet misses out.
“We want to see people eligible for bill support automatically enrolled to receive it. This change can’t come soon enough.”
Professor Ashwin Kumar, Director of Research and Policy at IPPR, said: “Essential bills are leaving lowest earners with little room to breathe and causing huge anxieties.
“Well-designed social tariffs and bill support – across water, energy, broadband and insurance markets – could save households hundreds of pounds a year and provide a vital lifeline to some of the most vulnerable people across the country.”
Deven Ghelani, Director of Policy in Practice, said:“Leading utility companies are showing the benefits of data-sharing to support auto-enrolment and streamlined assessments.
“The government can take action today that makes straightforward access to social tariffs and bill support the core and expected response from utility companies to customers facing affordability issues.”
Our Winter’s End Safe and Warm Partnership Conference 2025 in London brought together experts from organisations such as Age Scotland, Citizens Advice, Energy Systems Catapult, Fuel Bank Foundation, National Energy Action and Scope, who are all part of our Safe & Warm partnership network supporting vulnerable people in the communities we serve.
Experts from the energy, advice, government and charity sectors took part in panel sessions and open discussions to share the real world impact of financial cuts on the communities they’re helping and the daily challenges faced by individuals to keep their homes safe and warm, particularly during the colder months.
It was a crucial opportunity for delegates to reflect on the challenges experienced during the winter and share their insight, as well as collaborate on ways to work together in future to support vulnerable communities across SGN’s network areas in southern England and Scotland.
Together, we have so far supported 693,956 households and we expect this number to rise significantly over the coming months.
Held as a hybrid event, the conference had live interviews from key specialists streamed to the online audience, providing an opportunity for all partners to meet and discuss opportunities to collaborate with one another. We’ll be using discussions from the event to inform how we can evolve our partnership network and find new opportunities to plug gaps in support.
Some of the key highlights from attendees included:
Molly Shevlin from Citizens Advice Scotland said they’re seeing people with issues that are complex and multilayered, requiring dedicated support from multiple organisations.
Rachel Boland from Age UK Oxfordshire highlighted a new challenge they’ve seen this winter of pensioners experiencing longer wait times for an outcome on pension credit applications.
Lee Healey from IncomeMax said that although digital exclusion can be a barrier to some vulnerable people obtaining the support and benefits they’re entitled to, many people are keen to use digital solutions to boost their income.
Helen Stockton from National Energy Action highlighted how net zero solutions need to be designed with vulnerable people in mind, with Bridget Newbery from Centre for Sustainable Energy adding that conversations around net zero need to be with people and not to people, and need to be meaningful to people’s everyday lives in order to engage them. She also discussed the need to check people who receive new technologies know how to use them.
Stella Osan from Mencap Croydon spoke out about the rising issue of damp in vulnerable homes, with stories she’s heard of landlords painting over dangerous black mould instead of working with tenants to tackle the problem. Richard DeNiese of Mencap Worthing added that it can often lead to people with autism struggling to make the right short-term decisions of keeping windows open to help remove the mould or to keep them closed in order to keep in the heat.
Maureen McIntosh, Director of Customer Service at SGN, explained how hosting the conference is part of SGN’s work to bring partners together to support vulnerable customers to use energy safely, efficiently and affordably.
She said: “We really appreciate how many people took the time to attend and take part in our Winter’s End partners conference. It highlights the importance of working together as we face the challenges that winter brings to communities across the UK.
