Ofgem’s Announcement

Responding to Ofgem’s announcement today of a plan to 'reset and reform' growing energy debt, Citizens Advice Scotland’s Director of Impact David Hilferty said: 

"The scale of the solution proposed by Ofgem fails to match the scale of the problem. 

"Years of unaffordable energy bills have forced people into debt, with devastating consequences for people’s physical and mental health. People are getting trapped in debt just to live - to have warmth, light and hot food on the table. The essentials that all of us should have. 

"Our evidence shows that this harm is entrenched in communities across Scotland - the average energy debt that we see people present with at CABs has doubled over the last five years to £2,500. And it’s even worse for rural households at £3,180. This is unacceptable.

“The energy market is broken and needs major reform – and urgently. Government and regulators need to grasp the scale of the crisis and be bolder in their response.”