Auriga Services, a UK grants and welfare specialist, has acknowledged the introduction of Ofgem’s new price cap in response to a 143% increase in demand for emergency fuel vouchers.
The rise in voucher distribution from 38,000 in January 2023 to more than 92,500 in January 2024 highlights the seriousness of the cost of living crisis.
The price cap, effective from 1st April, aims to reduce household gas and electricity bills by up to 12%, offering potential relief to homeowners and residents grappling with high energy costs.
Jill Wheeler, Chief Executive at Auriga Services, said: “Overall prices are still extremely high and the reality is that energy costs remain nearly double what they were prior to the cost of living crisis.
“As a result, fuel poverty continues to be very real and a few months of reduced prices are unlikely to go far enough for consumers to escape that.”
