As Ofgem announces a 4% increase in the energy price cap from October, Juliette Flach, CAP’s Policy and Public Affairs Manager, shares CAP’s response.
“Behind closed doors, unaffordable energy is quietly trapping people in cold, dark homes—forcing them to choose between hot nutritious meals and spiralling debt.
These are the realities that our team of amazing local CAP church workers see in communities across the UK as we come alongside people who are struggling with the high energy costs and difficult life circumstances.
With bills rising a further 4% and in total that’s 17% in just 6 months, it will force even more low income households into unmanageable debts.
We are calling on the government to provide immediate and significant energy aid to those struggling with the financial burden of the increasing energy bills to protect them from suffering this winter.”
51%
of people receiving free debt advice from charity Christians Against Poverty have energy arrears, the second most common type of priority debt after Council Tax (58%)
52%
of respondents for CAP’s 2026 client report had stopped heating their homes
46%
of respondents went without hot meals
Data source: CAP Client Report 2026
