Slight fall in the average household energy bill won’t ease affordability pressures, says StepChange Debt Charity

^{21 November 2025}

StepChange Debt Charity has reacted to the news that the average household energy bill will fall by £37 from January to £1,758 per year for a typical household, when adjusted for inflation. The charity says this will make little difference to households already facing high levels of energy arrears, and with predictions for the price cap to rise further in April, it’s unlikely that there will be any significant fall in prices soon. This makes it all the more important that Government acts quickly to address energy affordability in the longer term.

Peter Tutton, Director of Policy, Research and Public Affairs at StepChange, said:

"These small fluctuations in the energy price cap, unfortunately, aren’t something households can rely on. Energy prices remain stubbornly high when compared to pre-cost of living crisis levels. The average energy debt of people seeking debt advice from StepChange has increased by 34% over the last two years, now averaging £2,762 per client.

"We welcome Ofgem’s long-awaited action on energy debt through the introduction of its Debt Relief Scheme – but this won’t be enough to tackle the scale of the affordability challenge. With the Budget just a few days away, it’s vital the Government considers targeted support for households struggling with persistently high energy bills, which is a key driver of the debt problems we see among StepChange clients."