Number of people seeking energy bills advice up 62% since April 2021

April was a “crunch” moment in the cost of living crisis, Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) has warned after the charity saw a 62% increase in requests for energy help.

Figures released by the charity covering April showed the number of people seeking advice from their local Citizens Advice Bureau increased by 10% on the same period last year.

Across Scotland’s 59 bureaux, advisers saw a 62% increase in the number of people seeking advice on energy bills and 71% more who needed advice on dealing with fuel debts compared to last year.

There was also a 27% increase in the number of people seeking advice on homelessness from the same period in 2021.

Stephanie Miller, social justice spokesperson for Citizens Advice Scotland, said the charity expects demand to continue and grow. She added: “April 2022 saw a big increase in energy bills for households across the country, and that was reflected in the demand for energy related advice being up almost two thirds compared to April 2021.”

Last month, the charity warned that around 20% of people regularly ran out of money before pay day each month.

They said this has left people with “no option” but to take out expensive debt, fuelling the skyrocketing demand for debt advice.

Ms Miller said that the increase in demand around homelessness and debt is “worrying”.

She added: “What is really worrying is the increase in demand for advice around homelessness and debt.

“That will be the lasting impact of the cost of living crisis – people struggling to make ends meet today are at risk of poverty, debt and destitution in the months to come.”