August 27th, 2025.
As energy regulator Ofgem announces another rise in energy prices today (Wednesday 27 August), local community benefit society Energise Sussex Coast is backing a call from the End Fuel Poverty Coalition for large-scale insulation and ventilation upgrades to UK homes - starting with households in fuel poverty – as well as a shift to homegrown renewables to secure supply and reduce reliance on imported gas.Founded in 2012, Energise Sussex Coast runs a free Energy Advice service to help local residents across East Sussex bring down the cost of their electricity, gas and water bills: 01424 390 062. Last year, it responded to over 9,700 calls to its helpline and distributed over £90,000 in fuel vouchers.
Today's price-cap announcement (which covers the period Oct – Dec '25) takes place in the wake of new research from the University of York showing that two-fifths (43%) of UK households are struggling with energy bills and spending more than 10% of their household income on gas and electricity. Of these, almost 5m households are spending more than 20% of their income on energy, meaning that they are in deep fuel poverty.
3.2 million of those in fuel poverty are pensioner households, with 964,000 pensioner households in deep fuel poverty, meaning they spend more than 20% of their income on energy. Meanwhile official figures also reveal that the level of energy debt is still increasing to an all time high, with millions of households owing a combined £4.15bn in debt.
Energise Sussex Coast director Kate Meakin said: "We're now approaching the fifth winter of the energy bills crisis and the time for tinkering with the price cap is over. We need a fair system that cuts bills. Even before today's rise the average household was still paying 67% more for their energy than in winter 2020/21 and we know from our work locally that many people can't take any more. Ofgem is right to launch a comprehensive review of how energy system costs are allocated, but simply shifting budgets between standing charges and unit rates will not solve the problem. Insulating homes is a permanent solution to help end fuel poverty, cut excess winter deaths and NHS costs, and reduce carbon emissions. So we need to see the rapid roll-out of large-scale high-quality insulation and ventilation upgrades, starting with households in fuel poverty. Likewise, we need to see a rapid shift to homegrown renewables to secure supply and reduce reliance on imported gas. The North Sea is now in terminal decline and unable to meet the UK’s long-term heating needs, despite what some politicians would have us believe. We need to urgently cut our dependence on gas and bring down the cost of electricity. Failure to do so will lead to even greater reliance on gas imports, reduced energy security and increased energy bills."
www.energisesussexcoast.co.uk