Energy data

Energy problems are now are most common advice issue

Something has changed at Citizens Advice. At the last 3 general elections, our top advice issues were all about helping people access benefits they’re entitled to.

Today, 2 of the top 3 are about the cost of living — energy problems, and food bank and emergency charitable support referrals. A decade ago, neither of these issues were in the top 10.

Most of the people who we're helping with an energy issue are struggling to afford their essentials. For example, of the people we helped with energy issues in 2023, over 50% needed help with crisis support (like food bank referrals or emergency charitable support).

At Citizens Advice, we have helped more people with cost-of-living issues than at this point in any other year on record.

This includes record numbers of people helped with energy debts, food banks and charitable support and homelessness.

One exception to this is the numbers helped with energy issues and people who are unable to top up their prepayment meter, which is slightly lower than at this point in 2023. This suggests the recent fall in energy prices is having some impact.

You can see how this breaks down for specific cost-of-living issues using the filter.

Record numbers of people being helped who can't afford to top up their prepayment meters

We continue to break unwelcome records in the number of people we've seen who can't afford to top up their prepayment meter.

In 2022, we saw more people who couldn't afford to top up their prepayment meter than the whole of the previous ten years combined - and 2023 was even higher than 2022.

We helped a record number of people who couldn't afford to top up their PPM in January 2024.

In welcome news, 2024 is currently tracking slightly below 2023 - but it's still much higher than at this point in all other years.

You can download our data for ‘Cumulative number of people we've seen who've been unable to top up their prepayment meters each year’ as a CSV file.

In January 2024, we helped a record number of people who couldn't afford to top up their prepayment meter, as record numbers struggle with rising energy prices and the cold weather.

But these numbers have dropped off significantly in February 2024 due to a combination of the £299 February Cost of Living payments and the warmest February on record.

You can download our data for ‘The number of people we've helped who can't afford to top up their prepayment meter each month’ as a CSV file.

As a result of the £299 February Cost of Living payments and the warmest February on record, the number of people we were helping with fuel vouchers dropped in February.

You can download our data for ‘The number of people helped with a fuel voucher every week’ as a CSV file.

The crisis is not affecting everyone equally

The graph below shows the proportion of people we're seeing who can't afford to top up their prepayment meter by demographic group.

The high proportion of people with a disability or long-term health condition who can't afford to top up is particularly concerning due to the increased risk of significant physical and mental harm for these groups.

Record numbers of people being helped with an energy debt issue

The number of people we're helping with energy debts has been on an upward trend during the cost-of-living crisis - and February 2024 was yet another record month for this issue.

You can download our data for ‘The number of people we're helping with different debt issues every month’ as a CSV file.

Growing levels of debt

The size of people's debt is also spiralling.

We've seen record levels of energy debt among the people we're helping with energy debt.

Energy debt is now the leading debt issue we help people with across most of the country.

Below, we've mapped the top debt issues faced by people by local authority by financial quarter. Before the pandemic, council tax arrears were the most common form of debt, followed by credit, store and charge card debts - but this is now energy debts as energy costs rise.

One caveat is that rent arrears has consistently been the dominant debt issue in Greater London.

Energy costs have risen significantly since 2021

Despite energy prices falling in recent months, they are still at historically high levels.

Historically high energy costs, alongside high housing costs, are driving the people we help - and millions across the country - into a negative budget.

Read our latest report for more insights on the impact of high energy and housing costs in driving millions into a negative budget.

We're helping record numbers of people with practical energy efficiency advice

We're helping record numbers of people with practical energy efficiency advice, as people struggle to afford sky-high energy bills.