Rachael’s story

Rachael is a 24-year-old single parent living in social housing with her young child who is undergoing an autism assessment. She is unable to work due to her own health conditions, including ADHD, autism and a chronic illness and has an annual income below £12,000.

She lives in an electric-only flat and at the point she contacted National Energy Action (NEA), she had £45 of energy debt and just £1.28 of emergency credit remaining, with no further support available from her supplier.

The rising cost of living placed her under significant strain. She frequently had to choose between topping up her meter and covering other essentials such as food. Managing energy on a prepayment meter was particularly difficult, Rachael did not always have the money available to top up when needed.

Rachael was unable to heat her entire home and instead prioritised her child’s wellbeing, heating only his bedroom and the living room while leaving the rest of the flat unheated to reduce costs. At times, she relied on foodbanks because her income could not cover both energy and food.

This ongoing financial pressure had a significant impact on her mental health. Combined with recovering from an abusive relationship, the stress of managing energy costs added to an already difficult situation.

Rachael’s situation would not have eased during the summer months. While heating demand may have reduced, the underlying pressures she faced such as low income, prepayment meter constraints, and existing energy debt would have continued to limit her ability to afford even essential energy use. For Rachael, this is likely to have meant continued difficulty topping up her meter, restricting the use of appliances, and making further compromises at home, such as limiting cooling, relying on simpler meals, and prioritising her child’s needs over her own.

NEA provided practical support, including a Winter Warmth Support Pack with LED light bulbs and draught excluders, which helped reduce her energy use and improve comfort in her home. She also received advice on accessing a temporary holiday from standing charges and guidance on improving energy efficiency.

Following this support, Rachael became more confident in managing her energy use and top-ups, helping her avoid running out of credit. She has since moved to a property with lower rent, improving her overall financial situation. As a result, she relies less on foodbanks and is better able to manage day-to-day costs.

Tyler’s story

Tyler lives alone in privately rented accommodation and works part-time while receiving Universal Credit. His income is stretched by rising rent, council tax arrears, and energy costs. He also lives with multiple long-term health conditions, including a spinal condition, high blood pressure and severe arthritis, all of which are worsened by cold and damp conditions.

At the time of seeking support, Tyler was living in a home that was persistently cold and poorly insulated, with broken radiators and mould growth. He had no heating for six weeks and was unable to maintain a safe or comfortable living environment. Despite raising concerns, progress from his landlord was slow, leaving him waiting for repairs while conditions worsened.

With limited income, Tyler faced constant trade-offs, often choosing between heating and food while managing essential costs week by week. His health conditions also made cooking difficult, leading him to rely on takeaways and taxis, increasing financial pressure.

The cold, damp environment had a direct impact on his health. His psoriasis worsened, causing painful cracking and bleeding, while poor heating contributed to pain, poor sleep and increased stress. He described feeling trapped in a cycle where financial strain and poor living conditions reinforced each other.

Tyler also struggled to manage his energy account. A previous supplier loan was repaid through deductions from his credit, and he sometimes relied on emergency credit to maintain supply, worsening financial instability.

Tyler’s situation would not have improved during the summer months. The underlying issues driving his fuel poverty such as low income, poor housing conditions, and ongoing energy debt would have continued to affect his ability to maintain a safe and comfortable home. This would likely have meant continued discomfort, with Tyler unable to effectively cool his home or afford to use appliances such as fans, while still needing energy for essential activities such as washing and cooking. His health conditions would also have continued to require a stable environment, limiting his ability to reduce energy use.

After self-referring to National Energy Action (NEA), Tyler received £147 in fuel vouchers, energy efficiency advice, and support to ventilate and insulate his home. NEA also helped him change the name on his energy account, enabling access to further support. Tyler was empowered to advocate for repairs and insulation with his landlord and local authority. 

The support helped Tyler catch up on energy and other bills, reduce stress, and improve his physical and mental health. He was able to heat his home, bathe regularly to manage his skin condition, and feel more confident about his energy use. Tyler also began making small behavioural changes, such as switching off appliances at night and using energy-efficient light bulbs. 

Health needs create non-negotiable energy demand

Across NEA's Lived Experience library, energy use is often driven by health needs rather than comfort. Organisational data reflects the scale of this:

• 73% of clients live in a household where at least one person has a health condition or disability
• 57% report a physical health condition
• 27% report a mental health condition

Clients describe needing energy to maintain adequate warmth due to medical conditions, stabilise indoor environments, power essential medical equipment and safely store medication.

This need spans the life course:

Young adults and young families (under 24):

• 77% live in severe deprivation
• 48% have a child under five
• 43% are single parents
• 58% live in a household with a health condition or disability

Older people (65+):

• 61% live on low incomes
• 90% have a health condition or disability in the household
• 26% live alone
• 64% are homeowners.

Across all age groups, half of those supported have children, and one in three have a child under five, highlighting the role of energy in protecting children’s health, development, and wellbeing.

In these circumstances energy use cannot be safely reduced and cost becomes unavoidable. For many households, energy is not discretionary, it is essential to maintaining health and safety.

Agnes and Phillip’s Story

Agnes and her husband Phillip live with significant health challenges. Phillip has a terminal diagnosis alongside complex conditions, anxiety, depression and mobility issues. Agnes has recently undergone treatment for breast cancer and also lives with arthritis and reduced mobility. Both rely on consistent heating and hot water to manage their health, and Phillip requires oxygen support at home.

Despite these needs, they face ongoing financial pressure. Living on a fixed income, they have struggled to access additional support. Although they may have qualified for pension credit individually, their joint income exceeds the threshold, limiting their ability to cover rising costs.

The Winter Fuel Payment previously helped manage heating costs, but even with this support they had to cut back, including on food quality and small treats. Its removal in 2024 created significant concern, as reducing energy use is not an option due to their health needs. Agnes anticipated further reductions in essential spending to maintain a safe home.

Their situation is also affected by mobility challenges. Unable to access their tumble dryer, they dried clothes on radiators, contributing to condensation and damp.

Agnes and Phillip’s situation would not have eased during the summer months. While heating demand may have reduced, their reliance on energy to manage complex health conditions meant that consumption could not be significantly lowered. This would likely have meant ongoing financial pressure, with the couple continuing to make trade-offs between energy and other essentials despite warmer weather. Their limited income and lack of eligibility for additional support would have left little flexibility to absorb ongoing costs, particularly as homes with poor ventilation or damp issues can remain uncomfortable even in summer.

Following referral to National Energy Action (NEA), the couple received targeted support. A benefits check led to a successful Attendance Allowance claim, improving financial stability. They also received a Winter Warmth Support Pack and a heated airer, allowing safer, more efficient drying and reducing damp.

In addition, Agnes received a £700 Warm Home Prescription Payment, easing immediate financial pressure and helping them manage energy.

Layla’s story

Layla lives in privately rented accommodation with her young children following a recent separation. She faces a combination of financial hardship, poor health, and ongoing debt. Living with fibromyalgia and mental ill health, Layla is unable to work full-time and lives on an income of less than £16,000 per year. At the same time, she is repaying both energy and water debt from her previous property, leaving very little available for day-to-day living costs.

When Layla contacted National Energy Action (NEA), her situation had reached crisis point. Both her gas and electricity meters were on the last of their emergency credit, and she was struggling to afford to top them up. Financial pressure had forced her to make extreme trade-offs, including rationing food. She told her adviser:

Layla’s circumstances were further complicated by the costs associated with moving home and ongoing debt repayments. This left her with very limited financial flexibility, making it difficult to meet even basic needs such as heating, cooking, and feeding her children. The strain of managing these pressures had a significant impact on both her wellbeing and her ability to maintain a stable home environment for her family.

Layla’s situation would not have likely improved during the summer months. In practice, this would have meant continued trade-offs between food, energy, and other essentials. Layla’s decision to prioritise school shoes over topping up her gas supply highlights how these pressures persist year-round, shaping daily decisions and limiting her ability to maintain a consistent energy supply.

NEA provided Layla with immediate and practical support, including £147 in energy vouchers, £280 in supermarket vouchers, an air fryer to reduce cooking costs, and essential items such as a coat, wellies, and a Winter Warmth Support Pack. This helped stabilise the household in the short term, allowing her to heat her home and provide more consistent meals for her children.

Several months later, Layla returned to NEA after again running out of gas, having prioritised buying school shoes for her child. Further support included additional energy vouchers, registration on the Priority Services Register, and assistance setting up a water debt repayment plan, which provided ongoing financial relief.

This support helped restore a degree of stability, reducing immediate financial pressure and enabling Layla to better meet her children’s needs. It also highlights the importance of flexible, ongoing support for families experiencing persistent and cyclical fuel poverty.

Connor’s story

Connor lives alone in private rented accommodation and shares custody of his eight-year-old daughter. Connor has mental health issues and learning difficulties, and usually relies on a support worker. When this support became unavailable, he was left managing complex financial and energy issues on his own.

At the time of contacting National Energy Action (NEA), Connor was in acute financial difficulty. He had just £1.02 left on his meter and was frequently off supply. He had already relied heavily on foodbanks and fuel vouchers, receiving multiple parcels in recent months, but these sources of support had been exhausted.

Connor’s situation was shaped by ongoing coping behaviours driven by financial pressure. He relied on emergency credit to maintain access to energy, despite deductions from top-ups reducing the amount available for daily use. This created a cycle where he frequently ran out of energy, requiring further short-term fixes rather than long-term resolution.

He also faced difficulty engaging with his supplier and support services. Long or complex communication was overwhelming, leading to disengagement at points in the process. He adopted coping strategies such as withdrawing from phone calls and relying instead on shorter or written communication, which felt more manageable.

The financial constraints he faced meant that accessing essentials was an ongoing challenge. During periods of crisis, he had no food available and no immediate means to cover costs, highlighting how coping strategies were often reactive and insufficient to meet basic needs.

While heating demands may have reduced in summer, the underlying drivers of his hardship such as very low income, reliance on prepayment energy, existing debt, and limited access to support would have continued to affect his ability to maintain a consistent energy supply. This would likely have meant continued reliance on emergency credit, frequent periods off supply, and ongoing use of short-term coping strategies. Connor would have remained at risk of running out of energy even in warmer weather, with financial pressure shaping everyday decisions about food, energy use, and communication with his supplier.

With support from NEA, these coping mechanisms began to shift. His adviser adapted communication methods, breaking information into smaller steps and using email to reduce stress. Through supported engagement, Connor was able to participate in resolving his energy situation and begin moving towards more sustainable arrangements.

Short-term interventions, including fuel vouchers, a £100 shopping voucher, and replacement appliances, helped stabilise his situation. Over time, this allowed Connor to transition from crisis-based coping such as relying on emergency credit and external support to more manageable strategies, including an affordable repayment plan.