Millions of households are facing another energy bill shock as new figures reveal the scale of a debt crisis pushing families towards increasingly desperate choices.
A third of British adults are either already in debt to their energy supplier or fear they will fall behind on payments, according to new research ahead of a 13pc rise in the energy price cap next month.
The warning comes as families already struggling with the cost-of-living squeeze prepare for another wave of pressure on household finances.
For thousands, keeping the heating on is becoming a daily battle.
The survey by the End Fuel Poverty Coalition found households are cutting back on essentials, skipping meals, turning to food banks and even missing rent or mortgage payments in an attempt to manage soaring bills.
Among those already in energy debt, the typical amount owed to suppliers stands at £750.
But the figures reveal a darker picture beyond unpaid bills, with some households turning to increasingly risky ways of borrowing money.
One in eight people who are either in arrears or worried about falling behind said they owed money to “someone who makes them feel scared”. Among those already behind on payments, the figure rises to almost one in four.
Campaigners warned the findings showed Britain was facing a crisis of affordability rather than unwillingness to pay.
“This is a can’t-pay crisis, not a won’t-pay one,” said Simon Francis, coordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition.
“Ordinary people are skipping meals, visiting food banks and resorting to risky forms of borrowing just to keep the lights on.”
The impact is being felt most heavily among vulnerable households.
Almost half of parents with children under 18 said they were either already struggling with energy debt or worried about falling behind.
More than a third of disabled people reported similar concerns.
Many families have been forced to ration their energy use, with nearly a third of those in debt saying they had reduced consumption by turning off heating or taking shorter showers.
A quarter said they had kept their homes at uncomfortable temperatures, while more than one in five admitted skipping meals.
The pressure is also spilling into other areas of household finances.
Around one in five people in energy debt said they had missed rent or mortgage payments, while almost the same proportion had relied on food banks.
The figures come as the wider energy debt crisis continues to grow.
Household energy debt has doubled in recent years to £5.5 billion and could rise to £7 billion by the end of the year, according to industry estimates.
Suppliers argue they are providing support where possible, but many struggling customers say they are being left without enough help.
Only 18pc of those in arrears said they felt they had been treated fairly by their supplier, while just 8pc had been referred for debt advice.
A further 13pc said they had received no contact from their supplier during the previous year.
Consumer groups are now calling for urgent action, including the introduction of a long-awaited debt relief scheme to prevent more households being dragged into financial hardship.
Janine Michael, chief executive of the Centre for Sustainable Energy, warned that emergency support alone would not solve the underlying problem.
“Debt relief alone is a sticking plaster,” she said, arguing that greater investment in energy efficiency was needed to reduce bills permanently.
The latest warning comes as energy firms remain under pressure over profits made during the period of soaring wholesale prices after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Campaigners argue households should not be left carrying the burden of a crisis they had little control over.
For ministers, the timing presents a major political challenge.
With living standards remaining one of the defining issues facing the Government, another rise in bills risks intensifying anger over household finances.
For millions already making painful choices between heating and food, July’s increase is not simply another price rise.
It is another test of how far families can be pushed.
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