New price cap on soaring energy bills will have devastating effect on 1.8 million carers already living in fuel poverty

A new price cap will see a typical household's annual energy bill soar by £149 in October. Commenting on its impact on unpaid carers, Carers Trust's Policy and Public Affairs Manager, Ramzi Suleiman, said: 

"This rise in energy bills will be devastating for unpaid carers. Looking after friends and family means you can’t cut back on energy use. Homes needs to be kept warm and life-saving equipment must be kept running."

"This means many carers already have far higher energy costs than the average home. It’s no wonder that 1.8 million of them are already living in fuel poverty."

"Being hit with these extra costs could push many unpaid carers over the edge, especially now the UK Government has also scrapped winter fuel payments for those who don’t receive pension credits."

"Making things even worse for unpaid carers is that there has been no new funding announced for the Household Support Fund that so many carers have relied on, potentially depriving them of yet another safety net."

"The Government needs to urgently reverse these policies, otherwise millions of vulnerable people will face a long, hard winter."