Debt keeping people in the cold

According to moneysupermarket.com, up to 76 per cent of Britons now include putting on a jumper rather than turning up the heat as part of their debt management plan due to costs.

“It is clear that people are worried about their energy bills, particularly in light of the utilities companies putting prices up so frequently this year,” said Paul Schofield, head of utilities at moneysupermarket.com. “It’s concerning the public is being deterred from turning on their heating, particularly the old and vulnerable.”

The report comes in a year which has seen the major energy companies raise their prices at least twice, adding to the debt burden each home carries.

Most likely to benefit from debt advice were British Gas customers, a group moneysupermarket.com claims have an average annual bill of £1,055.77, over £100 more than Scottish Power.