A DAD-of-three is forced to use candles at night to cut his family’s electricity bills as energy costs have soared.
Harry Lay, from Wiltshire, said he and his wife use candles to light their home in the evening in a bid to reduce their energy use.
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They described the situation as “Dickensian”, referencing the Victorian novelist Charles Dickens who often wrote about people living in extreme poverty.
The family claim Universal Credit and use food banks, but that’s not enough to help them cover the cost of energy.
Energy bills have soared as more households have been pushed onto the standard variable tariff as suppliers have gone bust.
There are no cheaper fixed deals currently on the market as energy firms are battling sky high wholesale prices.
Customers are protected by the energy price cap – which rose to £1,277 last year and is expected to jump further in 2022.
“It’s just ridiculous but it’s the only way we can limit the energy we are using,” Mr Lay told BBC Radio Wiltshire.
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“It’s a real struggle. It was last year as well but it’s gone up so much that the idea of not being able to use the foodbank is not possible.
“The way Universal Credit works is the more hours you work the more money they take from you, so you never get ahead of yourself,” he said.
Meanwhile, a former NHS worker said she avoids putting the heating on to keep her bills down, but it’s so cold it feels like sleeping outside.
Thelma Spalding, 54, said her monthly bill with supplier Octopus has jumped from £45 to £99.
Research published this week by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation showed that families pay have to spend as much as 54% of their income on gas and electricity bills as costs rise this year.
A separate study revealed earlier this week showed that number of families in fuel poverty will soar by 200% when the energy price cap goes up in April.
If you’re struggling with the cost of your energy bills, there is help available.
You should contact your local council to see if you’re eligible for a pay out from their Household Support Fund.
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This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk
