Charities feeling impact of energy crisis as huge cost rises affect support
Charities across the region have spoken of the worry and stress the rise in energy costs has been having on the people they help.
Age UK Wolverhampton and House of Bread in Stafford have worked throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and the cost of living crisis to offer help and support for people struggling to cover costs for food and energy.
Both, however, have felt the impact of the crisis in terms of the limitations on what they can provide with help and support, with both saying that the upcoming rise in the energy price cap has affected the support they can offer.
Age UK Wolverhampton CEO Mark Guest said there had been a great deal of stress and worry for everyone involved with Age UK about what was coming.
He said: "We have seen an increase in calls from people who are worried about how they are going to pay their bills and asking what help we can provide.
"I think we are still waiting to see what the real impacts are as the bills start coming around to people, but the facts speak for themselves as people have seen an almost 100 per cent rise in their energy bills that they're going to have to pay.
"Some people are lucky in that they are in fixed rate deals, but a lot of people aren't and we are doing all we can to help but, ultimately, we are very limited as we can help people claim more benefits and have a home energy check programme, but it's a drop in the ocean compared to what these rises are going to do."
House of Bread resource manager Jack Morris said the charity had seen a substantial increase in calls for help from a range of people at the start of the year.
He said: "January is usually a lean time for us as people do what they can to survive, but with the current fuel costs and everything else that is going on, it's just been more impossible than ever to really get by.
"We are seeing an increase in people needing support, with people in work needing support and the families of those we support needing help as well, so it's affecting the people and the people around them.
"The pressures of it seem to be getting to people and there's a general feeling of weariness in people's attitudes and spirits."
