Here is everything you need to know about energy bills in the UK and the support that is out there.
It is safe to say that rising energy prices and energy bills in the UK have recently been a concern for most of us. We’ve all noticed the increase in our energy bills, and with winter on its way again, some of us will be dreading a nasty surprise when we receive our winter energy bills.
However, government help with energy bills was introduced due to the increased costs. This help includes the energy bills support scheme to the energy bills price cap to stop bills from going any higher. But as some of the help with energy bills ends on March 31 2023, and we don’t know of any other help coming our way, you may wonder how much your energy bill will go up and how you will afford it.
What is the Energy Bills UK crisis?
There has been an energy bills crisis in the UK in recent months. This has been caused by the perfect storm of different forces that have hit the energy sector at the same time. Since the pandemic, as more of us now work from home than ever before, there is an increased demand for energy, and extreme weather conditions have caused further supply issues.
Additionally, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has considerably impacted energy bills UK as Russia supplies around 12% of the world’s gas. Not to mention that the energy regulator Ofgem increased its energy bills price crap, which limits the average gas and electricity amount an energy supplier can charge customers.
Due to these factors, the average energy bill UK has increased considerably. As of October 2022, the average bill increased by 54% to £1,971 from £1,277. This works out to around a £60 a month increase per household.
Can I get help with energy bills?
With the rising cost of living and the sharp increase in energy bills in the UK, the government has made help with energy bills available. The Energy Bills Support Scheme started in October 2022 and gave every household £66/£67 towards their monthly energy bills to help them with increasing costs. However, as this energy bill rebate ends on March 31, 2023, you may wonder what help is available.
Government payments for energy bills are still available in April 2023 for those who need help. But unlike the Energy Bills Support Scheme, you will need to be eligible and will need to apply:
- £900 will be available to households on means-tested benefits and paid in three installments across spring, autumn, and spring 2024.
- £300 for pensioner households
- £150 for people on certain disability benefits.
To try and reduce the financial pressures the energy bills crisis has out on households across the UK, the government announced the energy bills price cap that limits the amount households could be charged for their household energy usage. The Energy Price Guarantee meant the typical household would pay around £2,500 a year for their gas and electricity bill. This guarantee was due to only be in place until April 2023, but it has been announced that it will continue for another three months at the same level. This is expected to save the average family £160.
We haven’t had any further updates from the UK government about any support or help being provided to households during winter 2023.
How much will my energy bill go up? UK Calculator
Worried about the price of your energy bills from July? With the end of the Energy Bills Support Scheme, you may see an increase in your monthly bills. But by how much exactly?
You can use the energy bills Martin Lewis calculator here to give you a rough guide of how much you should expect to pay after July 2023.
Manage My Bills by Health Service Discounts
If you are looking for ways to save on your energy bills, why not use our new service – Manage My Bills. Here at Health Service Discounts, we have teamed up with ApTap, a service that allows you to manage and organise all of your monthly bills and subscriptions.
With Manage My Bills, you can safely connect your bank account to manage all of your monthly bills. As a Manage My Bills user, you can compare your energy or broadband to different providers on the market. As a Manage My Bills user, you will be provided with a comprehensive list of options, showing you where you can save money. Plus, you can view your bills in a list or calendar format, which makes tracking your monthly bills a breeze. Click here to head over to Manage My Bills to learn more.
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