Hello
You may have seen the recent announcement that energy bills will rise in April, and we know lots of you have been discussing your concerns on Mumsnet. On Wednesday 23rd February from 12pm to 1pm, reps from national fuel poverty charity National Energy Action will be here, live on this thread, to answer your questions about what the rises mean, why they are happening and what you can do.
You can post your questions below in advance, from now, or join the Q&A on the day.
Here's what National Energy Action say:
“There’s no doubt we are in the midst of an energy crisis. In the 40 years since National Energy Action first started we have never seen energy bills this high or so many people at risk of fuel poverty. We hear from people who have to sleep in coats and who simply cannot stay warm at home.
“Most people can’t have helped notice their energy bills rose in October when the price cap was raised. Now it’s due to rise again in April and bills are estimated to increase by over 50%. The average bill will rise from £1277 a year to £1971. Of course, not everyone is average and for some the increase will be much higher. We estimate that by April 6.5 million UK households will be in fuel poverty – that’s one in four. Our summary of the crisis is here: www.nea.org.uk/energy-crisis.
“To mitigate some of the rise the government are planning two measures. If you live in a house in council tax bands A to D you will get £150 in April. Also, all households will receive £200 off their bill from October – but there is a catch. This has to be repaid at the rate of £40 a year over the next five years.
“We’ve been very vocal, telling the government these measures are ‘woefully inadequate’, particularly for those who are in fuel poverty and vulnerable.
“We know with bills rising so high it’s a scary time, so we have Sarah, one of our energy advisers, to answer your questions. We also have Matt, head of policy who can answer questions around the response to the crisis."