Energy costs ‘crushing households’ as energy debt tops £5bn for first time, findings show

Transport / 24 September 2026 Record number of assaults on Britain’s railways 24 September 2026 Scotland / 24 September 2026 Funding gaps leaving rape survivors lacking support, MSPs told 24 September 2026 Healthcare / 24 September 2026 Health officials to decide scope of unnecessary breast cancer operations review 24 September 2026 Climate Crisis / 24 September 2026 Heatwaves overtake flooding as top ‘pressing’ climate impact for Britons 24 September 2026 Britain / 24 September 2026 Nothing less than full renationalisation, campaigners tell Burnham 24 September 2026 New report urges PM to ‘reverse Thatcher’s 40-year legacy of privatisation’

ENERGY costs are “crushing households,” the TUC warned today as the latest official data revealed that energy debts have topped £5 billion for the first time.

New Ofgem data shows that 1.2 million customers have electricity bill debt with no plan to repay, a 52 per cent increase since 2021, while 955,000 have gas bill debt — up 51 per cent from 2021.

The average level of debt is around double what it was five years ago — now standing at £842 for electricity bills and £697 for gas bills.

The TUC has renewed its calls for a social tariff to bring down energy bills for most households in Britain, funded by a windfall tax on the enormous bank profits.

It said the funding could cut household debts by up to £517.

TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said it was “the right thing to do,” adding: “Energy costs are crushing households up and down the country — with many getting into debt just to keep the lights on.

“With energy prices set to rise in October as a result of Trump’s reckless warmongering — and no end in sight to war in the Middle East — ministers will need to go further and faster to protect households.

“Banks are enjoying bonanza profits while many up and down the country are struggling to get by. They can well afford to pay more tax.”

Recent polling by the union body shows that 35 per cent of adults had to cut back on hot water usage, while 37 per cent did not use electrical appliances as often as needed.

Meanwhile, Britain’s four big banks are making more than £1bn a week, with the bonus pool paid out last year across the sector reaching a record £25bn.

Currently, the bank surcharge is an additional 3 per cent corporation tax on bank profits above £100 million, which was reduced from 8 per cent in April 2023 by the Conservatives, just as bumper profits kicked in alongside higher interest rates.

The TUC is calling for the government to increase the surcharge to 35 per cent to raise up to £60bn over the next four years — the same level as the windfall tax the Tories imposed on energy companies.

Cost-of-Living Crisis / 26 August 2026 Energy bills to hit three-year high as Ofgem announces 4% rise from October 26 August 2026 TUC calls for tax increase on bank profits to pay for social tariff to cut household bills

Cost-of-Living Crisis / 19 August 2026 Lower energy use in UK masks a nation divided between energy savers and energy strugglers 19 August 2026 Capitalism / 30 July 2026 Soaring Lloyds profits ‘further proof’ that banks can pay more tax to cut bills, says TUC 30 July 2026 Inequality / 14 July 2026 Big banks 'making a killing' from the misery of the cost-of-living crisis, TUC warns 14 July 2026 Trade unions call for windfall tax hike to fund social energy tariff to public’s energy bills