Civil unrest due to rising energy bills ‘isn’t far away’, says Martin Lewis

theguardian.com:

Britain’s self-titled money saving expert Martin Lewis has warned that civil unrest over rising energy bills “isn’t far away”, as he has repeated his call for more government intervention to protect people.

Lewis said he was the most scared he has been for people’s finances since he founded his popular website in 2003. It has traditionally offered advice on which bank accounts or phone providers may be cost effective, and has been a regular port of call for people looking to switch energy provider and save money.

However after the recent increase in the price cap for household energy bills to £1,971, it took the step of publishing a Heat the Human guide for people on how to keep themselves and their homes warm as they face a choice between heating and putting food on the table.

It includes steps like putting hot-water bottles in sleeping bags. “This is one of the richest countries in the world. It’s pretty desperate, isn’t it,” he said.

In an interview with the Sunday Telegraph, he said: “We need to keep people fed. We need to keep them warm. If we get this wrong right now, then we get to the point where we start to risk civil unrest. When breadwinners cannot provide, anger brews and civil unrest brews – and I do not think we are very far off.

“I get all these messages from people tearing their hair out. They don’t know how to make things add up.”

It echoes his comments made to the Guardian in an interview in March, when he said that inflation and rising household costs could lead to absolute poverty.

Currently, people will be able to get a £200 discount on their energy bills in October, which will be repayable. Council tax payers living in homes in bands A to D will be eligible to receive a £150 rebate from their council tax