Martin Lewis has issued a stark warning that future energy bill increases could lead to civil unrest, as he urged the government to provide greater support for struggling households. Speaking on ITV's Peston programme, the financial journalist said the public mood is "desperate" and that without intervention, soaring bills this winter could trigger protests.
The energy price cap currently stands at a record £1,971 per year for the average household. It is traditionally reviewed every six months, with changes taking effect in October and April. However, industry regulator Ofgem announced earlier this week that it is considering moving to quarterly reviews.
Mr Lewis said: "The public mood is desperate, it is angry, we may well be moving towards, if we don’t sort this, when those bill rises come in the middle of October to £2,600 in the middle of winter, I worry about civil unrest." He added that people are being forced to choose between feeding themselves and feeding their children, describing a shift from relative poverty to absolute poverty.
The warning comes as inflation reached 9% in the year to April, according to the Consumer Prices Index. Gas and electricity bills rose by approximately 54% last month, with further increases expected in October. At the same time, real wages have fallen by 2.9%, while benefits and pensions have failed to keep pace with the rising cost of living.
Mr Lewis called on the government to listen and act to prevent households from facing impossible choices, emphasising that the situation must not be allowed to continue.
