# A nation divided by energy savers and energy strugglers revealed in new research

By Simon Francis — 2026-08-18

New figures have revealed a nationwide split in how households have responded to rising energy costs. Since 2023, 36 per cent of the public have cut their energy use through efficiency measures alone, while almost a third have cut back through more dangerous behaviours that indicate they cannot afford to heat their homes.

The polling results come as Ofgem lowers its estimate of how much energy a “typical” household uses, the figure the headline price cap is built on. Because the regulator now assumes people use less energy, the headline number can fall compared to previous announcements, even as the price of each unit of energy rises.

On a like-for-like basis (the same assumed consumption as last year), the typical bill is higher than last winter, not lower, and around 83 per cent above the pre-crisis average bill of £1,042 in winter 2020/21. Meanwhile, profits posted by energy firms on their UK operations have now exceeded £6 billion in 2026 alone.

Simon Francis, coordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, said: “Some reduction of energy use could be a good thing, caused by better energy efficiency in people’s homes. But sadly, for many households, reductions in energy use have happened simply because people cannot afford to use as much energy as in the past.

“That means that some are demonstrating dangerous behaviours such as cutting back on washing and for one in ten members of the public, skipping hot meals to save on energy.

“Many also told the researchers that they have borrowed money to pay for energy.

“The fact remains that gas prices are rising again, and using the same energy as last winter will cost most homes more and of course, bills are hundreds of pounds a year more than six years ago.

“The reliable indicators of what is actually happening to household energy prices are the unit rates and standing charges, not the headline average.”

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