One in four people could be forced into turning their heating and hot water off when energy bills increase this autumn.
Ahead of the announcement of the new energy price cap from this October, with prices predicted to rise once again, some new research from Citizens Advice has now revealed that 25% of UK residents – which is the equivalent of 16.5 million people – are so worried about the increases in energy costs that they think they’ll be forced to turn off their heating and hot water to save money.
This shocking figure then increases to 31% of households with children, and 39% of bill payers on a low income, according to the research.
The research also found that 48% (35.1 million people) said they would have to turn down their heating or hot water, and in addition to this, 34% (22.8 million people) of respondents said they would have difficulty affording food or other essentials – such as their mortgage, rent, or childcare.
Devastatingly, 7% (4.5 million people) said they would even be forced to skip meals.
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More than 16 million people could be ‘forced’ to turn their heating off when energy bills increase this autumn / Credit: Pxhere
Because of these shocking new statistics, Citizens Advice is warning that without urgent intervention from the Government, households will continue to face “impossible choices” and “drastic cutbacks” to be able to afford to heat their homes.
The advice service concedes that the Government has inherited “a challenging situation” with the fact that bills are increasing to “historic levels”, but that the new Prime Minister must step in and “act fast” to stop millions of households falling further into hardship this winter, especially those in desperate need who can’t afford to wait until the plans to shift focus on renewables comes into fruition in the long term.
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“We’re already helping record numbers of people with energy debt, but we’re now bracing ourselves for an even more challenging winter,” commented Citizens Advice’s Chief Executive, Dame Clare Moriarty, ahead of the expected energy price cap rise.
Here are a few steps you can take to help reduce energy bills:
🏠 Add roof and loft insulation 🚪 Draught-proof doors/windows 🧱 Insulate walls 🌡️ Consider floor insulation 🔥 Insulate water tanks/radiators
“The price cap increase will see a wave of households tipped into debt, bill payers forced to make impossible decisions to make ends meet, and families worried about the impact the cold will have on their loved ones.
“Energy prices might be down from the peak of the crisis, but with many already in the red and the removal of previous support packages, there’s still no light at the end of the tunnel for those in desperate need.
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“The Government has inherited a huge challenge, but there must be no delay in their action.
Onlookers ‘in tears’ after tiny duckling rescued from storm drain in beauty spot
Daisy Jackson
The RSPCA has shared a heartwarming video of a reunion between a tiny duckling and his mum, after the baby bird fell into a storm drain.
The charity, with the help of staff in the nearby Grandpa Greene’s Luxury Ice Cream Parlour, managed to fish the tiny bird out of the storm drain in a painstaking two-hour-long operation.
Miraculously, the duckling was unharmed, and his mum was waiting nearby on the canal in Saddleworth ready to be reunited with her baby.
The RSPCA has now thanked the staff member who helped rescue the duckling, and issued a warning to the public to keep dogs on a lead when near wildlife, believing the poor bird was chased by a dog before falling down the five-feet-high grid.
The rescue operation too place in Diggle last Wednesday 9 April, with Animal Rescue Officer Lee Ferrans taking on the ‘long and painstaking’ process of tempting the duckling into a net.
Lee said: “I wasn’t able to lift the grid so the only thing I could do was push an extendable pole straight down and try to catch the duckling in a net. There wasn’t a lot of room for manoeuvre and the net kept catching on all the debris.
“Just when I thought I’d been successful, the duckling kept disappearing into a drain on one side and then popping out again. A member of staff from Grandpa Greene’s had just finished her shift and came across to the other side of the canal to help me. I unscrewed the top of the pole with the net and held it down on one side of the drain while she used another section to gently encourage the bird to go into the net.
“It was quite a long and painstaking rescue but we eventually managed to bring the little one back up safely after more than two hours.”
The pair then placed the duckling into a cardboard box before heading further up the canal to reunite them with their mother and six sibling ducklings.
The adult duck ‘instantly recognised’ the chirping and swam straight towards it.
Lee added: “A little crowd had gathered and as the family were reunited people were shedding tears. It was a really lovely moment to see them all back together.
“I’d especially like to thank the member of staff from Grandpa Greene’s who offered an extra pair of hands – I couldn’t have done it without her – and to all the people in the area who stopped and were concerned.
“Storm drains can be a bit of a menace for ducklings, especially at this time of the year when there are babies around, and this brood was only a few days old.”
Man jailed for throwing acid in the face of a 16-year-old boy
Daisy Jackson
A man has been thrown behind bars for eight years and two months after throwing a corrosive substance over a 16-year-old boy, leaving him with serious injuries.
When Gilson Martins of Ashton Street, Rochdale, was arrested, he was found to be in possession of acid, being kept in a bottle of hair dye.
He pleaded guilty to robbery, possession of a corrosive substance, and witness intimidation, and was also sentenced for unrelated drugs offences in 2022.
On 24 March 2024, Martins plotted the attack on his 16-year-old victim, even demonstrating to another man how effective the acid would be by using it on a piece of paper.
The victim was then lured to an address in the Woodley area by an accomplice, where he was confronted by Martins.
When an altercation broke out, a corrosive substance was thrown over the teen.
He was taken to hospital with serious injuries which required intensive treatment at a specialist burns unit, with several more procedures taking place since.
When a man spoke to police about the acid attack, Martins attended his home and threatened to ‘stab him, throw acid on him, and carve his name’ into him.
#JAILED| A man has been jailed following an acid attack on a 16-year-old boy in Stockport last year.
Gilson Martins (06/12/01) was arrested by armed police following the attack, and was discovered with an acid-filled bottle of hair dye.
The man in question barricaded himself in his bedroom while Martins knifed the door, fleeing shortly before police arrived.
He was arrested by armed officers on 10 April this year, where he was found with a bottle of hair dye.
Detective Constable Heather Parke, from GMP’s Stockport district, said: “The effects of attacks involving corrosive substances are well-known, and can result in severe, life-changing injuries or even death.
“Using them in attacks is utterly vile and I am glad Martins is now behind bars for his vicious assault. His victim received injuries from which he is still suffering, and has already received numerous treatments.
“We have zero tolerance for these sort of crimes, and we put considerable resources into ensuring that Martins was arrested, charged, and sentenced. He now has a long time to think about his actions inside a prison cell.”
Emily Sergeant -
22nd August 2024 
