Citizens Advice responds to energy debt figures from Ofgem
Responding to the latest energy debt figures from Ofgem, Dame Clare Moriarty, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice, said:
"Energy debt is at a record high and another crisis is looming. The government cannot let people drown in the last wave before the next one arrives.
"The Energy Debt Relief Scheme should be in place precisely for moments like this yet it has been struck by delay after delay. Every week without it means more households sinking deeper into debt they can't escape.
"The government must also have better targeted support ready to deploy if prices spike again later in the year. The window to act is closing."
Citizens Advice research shows:
9.4 million households have been worried about paying their energy bills this winter, that’s one in three (33%) households
5.7 million households have been unable to heat their homes to a comfortable temperature
6.8 million households find it difficult to reliably afford their energy bills.
Advice
If you are concerned about paying your energy bills speak to your supplier or contact Citizens Advice for support. Energy bill debt is classed as a priority debt, so it's important to get advice on how to manage debt from a charity or organisation like Citizens Advice as soon as you can.
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Notes to editors:
Data taken from a Citizens Advice commissioned survey by Yonder Consulting between 6th January - 18th January 2026, with 4,364 respondents from a national representative GB sample. Our latest energy affordability report - published in February, 2026 - ‘Getting Warmer?’ is available on the Citizens Advice website.
The energy debt relief scheme has been developed to support people with unmanageable debt built up between April 2022 to March 2024. When first proposed by Ofgem the scheme was due to be completed by Spring 2026.
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