1 in 7 people who sought help from Scotland’s Citizens Advice network this spring needed help with energy issues, indicating that fuel poverty remains high in Scotland even in warmer months.  

Ahead of the energy price cap announcement, Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) has revealed that more than 4,000 people sought the network’s advice on energy issues in April, May and June. Over 2,600 asked for support on fuel vouchers.  

Publishing the data, CAS Director of Impact David Hilferty said, 

“What these figures show is that the current high cost of fuel is not just a problem in the winter but all year round. Thousands of people are struggling with their bills even as the temperatures rise as they did this spring. 

“As we await news of the latest energy price cap over the next few days, any increase will pile even more pressure on many households who are already unable to afford their bills.  

“The number of people we see who are in debt to their energy supplier has jumped 65% in the last five years. The average energy debt we see is £2,500, and in remote and rural areas, it is even higher at £3,180. That has a devastating impact on people's physical and mental health. 

“The Citizens Advice network is an essential lifeline for people. Our advice changes lives every day in communities across Scotland, but the lasting solutions to the problem require actions from government and regulators.  

“The time for talking on this issue is long gone. We need urgent action now.”  

The following examples from the briefing are all recent Scottish CAB cases. NB the individuals named are not available for interview and names have been changed to protect their privacy.  

Sean’s experience  

Sean visited his local CAB because he had no money to heat his home or buy food. A medical condition had forced him to stop working. He waited for a month for his first Universal Credit (UC) payment without access to an advance due to existing UC arrears. After receiving three crisis grants in a year, Sean was unable to get another one. Sean’s daughter lives with him at weekends. He feared he could not care for her properly without access to emergency support and asked for a referral to a food bank and fuel bank. 

Patrick’s experience  

Patrick was struggling with multiple debts and went to his local CAB for support. He is a self-employed gardener, meaning his incomes fluctuates because work is seasonal. Even when work has been available, Patrick has struggled to cover essential costs. When he visited the CAB, Patrick had accrued more than £14,000 of debt. Around £6,300 of this amount was energy debt, alongside £3,000 in Council Tax arrears and nearly £900 of rent arrears. Patrick was so concerned about his finances that he asked his CAB adviser for information about bankruptcy. 

Georgina’s experience  

Georgina lives in an island community and contacted her local CAB after she received a notice about Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) switch-off. An engineer visit was scheduled, however, they did not attend and no explanation was offered. Georgina tried to arrange another appointment, only to be told none were available, causing her much anxiety that her energy supply would be switched off. Weeks went by without being able to resolve this. In June, she received a call from her supplier advising that that she did not in fact have an RTS meter, leaving Georgina confused and frustrated. 

The full CAS energy brief can be read here.

ENDS