Higher bills from energy suppliers resulting in greater debt - 22/10/2009
The lack of cheap energy rates is resulting in an increase of nearly 50 per cent in the number of people approaching the Citizens Advice Bureau (Cab) with debt problems.
A spokesman for consumer publication Which? said part of the problem is the lack of clarity on energy bills, as consumers are unable to understand if they are being charged fairly.
Clearer bills could help homeowners see exactly where their money is going and decide whether choosing to switch gas and electricity companies would be a better option.
The spokesman said: "Understanding where your money is going will help people reduce their consumption, which will obviously help them keep their bills down."
He added the fact that consumers have over 4,000 different tariffs to choose from on the market can cause confusion, especially as energy companies have only recently been obliged to include tariff details on their bills.
Over 30 per cent of people approaching Cab with energy debt problems over the past year were people living on incomes of less than £400 a month.
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