Citizens Advice responds to inflation figures

Dame Clare Moriarty, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice, said:

“There are desperate stories behind these figures. People washing in their kitchen sinks because they can’t afford a hot shower; parents skipping meals to feed their kids; disabled people who can’t afford to use vital equipment because of soaring energy bills.

“The warning lights could not be flashing brighter. The government must bring in more targeted support to help people cope with this mounting crisis.”

Latest figures from Citizens Advice:

  • So far in May Citizens Advice has helped more than 750 people every single day with referrals to food banks

  • In the first third of the year Citizens Advice saw more cases of people unable to top up their prepayment meter than the whole of 2021 combined

  • So far this year Citizens Advice has supported nearly 30,000 people with energy debts, a 26% increase on the previous year

Notes to editors

  1. Prepayment meter figures show 3,637 people have contacted the Citizens Advice Consumer Service so far this year because they were unable to top up their meter. Data runs up to 06.05.2022

  2. By the end of April Citizens Advice had supported more people unable to top up their prepayment meter than in the whole of 2021.

  3. Energy debt data shows 29,890 people were supported by Citizens Advice with energy debt. Data runs up to 06.05.2022

  1. Citizens Advice includes the national charity; the network of independent local Citizens Advice charities across England and Wales; the Citizens Advice consumer service; and the Witness Service.

  2. Citizens Advice is the statutory consumer advocate for energy and post. We provide supplier performance information to consumers and policy analysis to decision makers.

  3. The Citizens Advice Witness Service provides free, independent support for prosecution and defence witnesses in every criminal court in England and Wales.

  4. Citizens Advice offers Pension Wise services at 500 locations in England and Wales.

  5. Citizens Advice’s services are free, independent, confidential and impartial, and available to all regardless of race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion, age or nationality.

  6. To get advice online or find your local Citizens Advice, visit citizensadvice.org.uk

  7. For consumer advice, call the Citizens Advice consumer service on 0808 223 1133 or 0808 223 1144 to talk in Welsh.

  8. We helped 2.6 million people face to face, by phone, email and webchat in 2017-18. For service statistics see our monthly publication Advice trends.

  9. Citizens Advice staff are supported by over 23,000 trained volunteers, working at over 2,500 locations in England and Wales.