Britain predicted the highest level of fuel poverty in 26 years

By the spring in the UK, in the absence of government measures to mitigate significantly higher electricity bills, the number of households unable to pay for electricity could rise to a record. This was reported on Saturday, January 1, by The Guardian newspaper, citing National Energy Action, a charity dedicated to fuel poverty.

According to her, fuel poverty affected about 4 million households even before the surge in prices in the global energy market, which caused an increase in electricity tariffs in October.

It is noted that the next rise in prices will lead to the fact that by the spring, another 2 million households will not be able to pay bills. Then their total number will reach 6 million. As stated in the charitable organization, the government ceiling on energy prices could lead to an increase in the average electricity bill to almost £ 2 thousand per year (more than 200 thousand rubles).

The article notes that this will be the highest fuel poverty rate in the country since 1996. National Energy Action executive director Adam Skorer said the number of such households could skyrocket in April. This is expected to exacerbate the United Kingdom’s national energy crisis.

As the Financial Times reported on December 25, the heads of EDF, Good Energy and Energy UK have asked the British government to resolve the situation amid rising gas prices after fuel prices hit a new record and have remained at unprecedented levels since then. Analysts admit an increase in electricity tariffs up to 56%. The average UK household currently spends £ 1277 per year on these needs.

Since early August, 26 UK energy suppliers have gone bankrupt as rising wholesale gas prices have exposed flaws in many companies’ business models. Industry leaders have warned that even well-run companies are suffering from tariff increases.