‘I’m £27k in debt and can’t afford to put my heating on’
Amina Sani has not turned her heating on this week despite temperatures plunging below freezing – as growing numbers face energy bill debt
Growing numbers of people did not turn on their heating this week despite it turning perishingly cold across the UK.
Amina Sani is among them. As temperatures dropped below freezing on Friday, she stayed in bed in her ground-floor flat in Westminster, central London, under the covers and cuddling a hot water bottle to stay warm.
The 59-year-old pays for gas and electricty via a smart meter but says she cannot afford to put any credit on because she already has debts of around £27,000.
She has faced bailiff action before and fears if she spends too much of her income on energy bills it could happen again.
Campaigners say there are an increasing number of people who are at risk during the cold snap because they are in debt to their energy provider.
“I don’t use the central heating,” Sani said. “I used it in October when the Government gave me a voucher for £100 – that lasted about one month.
“I turned it on again in the middle of December, just for one hour. Now I just use a hot water bottle, I cover myself in a blanket.
“It’s so cold I can’t even move around the house, I just stay in bed all day.”
A survey carried out by Debt Justice last year found a record 6.7million people are in financial difficulty in Britain.
The number of people who sought help with energy bills surged by 20 per cent according to charity Citizens Advice which has helped 60,000 households, double the figure in 2020.
Sani has received some help from Money Wellness, a credit counselling service, commissioned by the Government to deliver free debt advice.
They are helping around 1,000 people a day and a spokesperson said: “A significant proportion of the people we help are in debt to their energy provider or can’t afford to turn on their heating.”
Temperatures are expected to drop to as low as -20°C overnight as January continues to be one of the coldest in decades.
The NHS experiences a marked increase in admissions during such weather.
An England-wide amber health alert has been extended by the UK Health Security agency until Tuesday, with temperatures expected to continue to fall over the weekend.
It means an increase in deaths are “likely” and that cold-weather impacts are likely to be felt across the whole health service.
Sani says she was fit and healthy and had a job lined up as a care worker but has been hit by a series of health problems over the past few years.
She has been diagnosed with diabetes and severe arthritis which will require a knee operation – for which she has been on an NHS waiting list for over a year.
Sani is in receipt of universal credit but said she only has £400 a month to live on after making payments towards her debt.
“It built up over 20 years,” Sani said. “I keep paying but the interest just keeps accumulating.
“If I miss a payment it shoots up.”
She said that being unable to work and stuck in bed all day with mounting debts has led to a decline in her mental health.
“I used to be a very active woman, very outgoing,” she said.
“It’s a life test. I try not to worry so much but sometimes things get out of hand.
“I’m a human being and you can only take so much at once.”
The Government has faced criticism over its decision to cut back the winter fuel payment which means pensioners are no longer automatically entitled to the payment worth up to £300.
Following this autumn’s Budget, it is now only eligible to those on pension credit or other means-tested benefits.
“It’s devastating to see people suffering, especially the elderly,” said Sani.
“It’s a real nightmare, maybe the Government could look at these people and increase the help.”
Gas and electricity bills rose again on 1 January, with the average price-capped bill now at £1,738.
The price cap is expected to increase again in April and campaigners want the Government to fix the market for the long term, as well as helping those struggling this winter.
Simon Francis, co-ordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, said: “As households continue to suffer as a result of our dependence on volatile gas prices, the to-do list for the Government in 2025 gets even longer.
“As a priority, ministers must set out plans to tackle affordability and discrimination in the energy market.”
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the energy regulator Ofgem have been contacted for comment.
