‘There’s nothing more I can really cut’: the UK public on energy prices

theguardian.com:

The latest energy price cap increase by the regulator Ofgem threatens millions of households with an 80% energy bill rise from 1 October.

As the new price cap for a household with “typical consumption” on a dual-fuel tariff paying by direct debit has risen to £3,549 per year – and is forecast to jump to £5,341 between April and June 2023 – three people from across the country explain what the latest price rises will mean for them as the cold weather approaches.

Lindsey Parker, 43, an occupational therapist for the NHS from Brighton, says the latest energy price cap rise has put her hopes of moving into a studio flat out of reach.

“I lived in a flatshare until March, and when I was asked to move out I moved into a van over the summer to save up and maybe be able to afford to rent a studio for the winter, but then the cost of living crisis kicked in.

“I’ve looked into the prices for gas and electricity and nearly had a heart attack. Even with my full-time job, I could under no circumstances afford a small studio plus bills. I’d risk spending 75% of my income on housing. Now with the increasing energy bills, the cost of renting a bedroom in a shared house is £800 in the community I serve – nearly 50% of my take home pay, and they’re rising. So even that’s a stretch now.”

Parker says she never imagined her life would be this restricted in middle age.

“It’s hard to have friends or romantic relationships as I feel like I can’t bring them to my home, I can’t go to the pub because it costs a fortune.

“My pay went up recently, but this got completely swallowed up by the cost of living, so I’m back to square one. I try to eat half my dinner and save the other half for lunch the next day. I can’t see a way out.

“We’re told to put lots of