Another Unbearable Winter?

Is it to be yet another unbearable winter for those who struggle with energy bills?

by David Hilferty, CAS Director of Impact.

This article was first published in The Herald on 29 August 2026.

The latest energy price cap was announced on Wednesday. A 4% increase, following the 13% rise that was announced in May. So it’s clear is that there is no relief coming from that direction to people in Scotland who are struggling to pay their energy bills. 

To coincide with the latest announcement, we published our latest quarterly Energy Brief showing just how many people are seeking our advice because they’re in that position.  

From April to June this year our advisers helped 6,000 people across Scotland with energy issues. 

Meanwhile the number who are in debt because of unaffordable bills gets worse. The average debt seen by our network is almost £2,700 – 13% higher than the same period two years ago. 

Our advisers see every day the brutal reality of how people are struggling to pay for the essentials. The cost of living crisis has gone nowhere.  

What is even more concerning is how many people are telling us their situation is exacerbated by the barriers they face when dealing with energy suppliers.    

Around a fifth of the energy cases we saw in this period concerned poor customer service from suppliers, including issues with communication, billing or metering problems and debt recovery practices.  

A recent survey of people supported by our Extra Help Unit (EHU) shows the real impact on the people behind the statistics. One said: "I had been trying to sort this incorrect meter for 3 years and [the EHU] did it in less than a month, and she got the bill of £65k written off."   

Another told us: "I was just so disheartened when contacting my energy provider directly to be met with having to repeat myself, asked to elaborate on why I was unable to afford to top up in several different ways... it felt very draining and put me off ringing them again."  And a third said: "I don’t think I could get anywhere dealing with all the solicitors’ threatening letters. It’s just threats, threats, threats.”   

An adviser recently told me about a woman who has significant literacy difficulties. She had a stroke and has been repeatedly admitted to hospital. Her energy supplier had communicated with her by letter only, despite being aware that she was unable to read these. She eventually found that she had a debt of £7,500. This was a completely unmanageable amount for her, particularly while experiencing significant health problems, so she naturally felt overwhelmed. Her local CAB is now working with her to see what support can be provided. 

With another winter fast approaching, there are a number of decisionmakers who need to act to make sure people don’t suffer harm across the coldest months. That means introducing measures like a social tariff on energy bills and a robust energy debt relief scheme.   

But it’s also clear that energy suppliers have a role to play too. At a time when people need help most, they must ensure that communication is clear and accessible, and staff are empowered to support people with skill, compassion and humanity. 

It’s long past time to rewire the energy system so that everyone can afford to keep the lights on and their homes warm.