More than half of UK adults say they will have to cut their spending to cope with rising household bills over the next year, Citizens Advice has warned.
Three in five people (58%) are worried about the effect that higher bills will have on their finances and 53% – or 27million – will have to cut spending to cope, according to a study by the consumer body.
It is launching the Big Energy Saving Week today, backed by government, charities and the energy industry, to help consumers take practical steps to make cuts to their bills.
A survey found that of those who plan on cutting their spending, 59% say they will have to reduce the amount they spend on food, 37% will look for ways to reduce their energy bills, 8% will consider moving to a cheaper home and 66% say they will have less to spend on time out with family and friends.
It found 20% of British households are struggling or falling behind with their bills while a further 32% said they are keeping up with costs but it is a struggle from time to time.
Of those concerned about paying their fuel bill, 55% have cut down the amount of energy they use. The poll also found that less than a third of people have spoken to their energy supplier to check they are on the best tariff, 19% have insulated their home and just one in 10 have switched to a cheaper way to pay.
Citizens Advice said 200,000 people sought online advice about energy bills last year, with its bureaux dealing with 85,000 fuel debt problems between October 2012 and September. Citizens Advice chief executive Gillian Guy said: “With our research finding the household budgets of half of the UK are under serious scrutiny to try to find savings, we’re keen to help as many people as possible make sure they are not taking drastic action or paying a penny more than they have to for a warm home.”