Lockdown has increased energy debt for households across the UK

With two national lockdowns affecting the daily routines of millions across the UK, the financial impact of working from home and school closures is being recognised as a leading factor of rising energy debt.

According to data gleaned from a sample of 24,000 smart meters in operation throughout the UK, a 15% rise in home electricity usage in the month of April 2020 equated to an increased cost of around £6 per household.

The economic impact of the pandemic has left many households struggling to pay for their gas and electricity with millions accepting lower than usual wages due to furlough. Added to the millions that have found themselves redundant and out of work, and the financial impacts of higher energy bills are hitting those without a secure source of income the hardest.

As lockdown continued throughout most of the summer and with a second lockdown announced in November where energy usage peaks due to colder temperatures and darker mornings and nights, the extra energy consumption for most households has mounted up and increased the energy debt across the UK.

Sadly, more bad news is still to come, with Ofgem warning that some energy suppliers will be looking to recoup any missed revenue from current customers by temporarily lifting the energy price cap to help improve supplier cashflow.

Although this has sparked criticism, the energy regulator is fully supportive of this proposal that could push struggling households further into energy debt.

BLT Direct, a leading stockist of high-quality lighting products and accessories, is urging householders to do all that they can to reduce their energy consumption now to stop energy debt becoming overwhelming with months of winter still to come.

One recommendation is to replace traditional lightbulbs with energy-saving LED lightbulb replacements now to help fight back against energy debt and save an average of £40 per year on bills.

As LED lighting products have impressive lifespans with little to no maintenance and come in a wide range of colour temperatures to suit any room, LED bulbs offer an excellent energy-saving investment for homes and commercial properties who are concerned about rising energy bills.

To find out more about the wide range of LED lighting solutions available from BLT Direct, visit https://www.bltdirect.com/