New FirstPort-commissioned YouGov research reveals the financial decisions facing UK households, while energy industry experts warn that global market volatility and the hidden costs of powering residential buildings could add further pressure.
As Britain heads into another difficult winter for household finances, new research suggests that the energy crisis is no longer simply about rising bills. It is increasingly about the sacrifices people are prepared, or forced, to make to keep their homes warm.
A major YouGov survey commissioned by FirstPort, the UK’s largest residential property management company, reveals that 60% of UK adults surveyed are concerned about affording their energy bills over the next 12 months, including one in five who are very concerned.
Extrapolated across the UK’s approximately 30 million households, that level of concern would be equivalent to around 18 million households nationwide.
But behind the headline figure lies a more troubling picture of household finances. More than a third of respondents (35%) expect to reduce spending elsewhere to meet higher energy costs. Almost a quarter (24%) anticipate using less energy, while 13% expect to cut their consumption significantly.
A further 15% say they would struggle to pay their bills, with 8% expecting to draw on savings or increase borrowing.
These are not simply expressions of concern about future prices. They suggest that, for a substantial proportion of the population, energy costs are already influencing decisions about everyday spending, household budgets and financial security.
And the outlook has become more challenging since the research was conducted.
The £2,000 winter: why the pressure is intensifying
The findings come against a backdrop of renewed volatility in international energy markets.
In August, regulator Ofgem announced that its energy price cap would increase by 4% from 1 October 2026, taking the typical annual gas and electricity bill to £1,723. This followed a 13% increase in July, driven largely by higher wholesale gas prices linked to conflict in the Middle East.
The latest projections suggest that further increases could be on the horizon.
On 30 September, energy consultancy Cornwall Insight forecast that the January 2027 price cap could rise by another 16%, taking the typical annual bill to £1,999 an increase of £276 compared with October.
Although the forecast remains subject to wholesale market movements and Ofgem’s final determination, it illustrates how quickly the financial outlook for households can change.
The longer-term picture is equally concerning. Government fuel poverty statistics project that approximately 2.13 million households in England will be living in fuel poverty in 2026 under the official Low Income Low Energy Efficiency measure.
For lower-income households, energy already consumes a disproportionately large share of available resources. Government figures show that average required energy costs represented 14.9% of household income for low-income households in England in 2025, compared with 6.8% across all households.
Against that backdrop, the FirstPort research provides an important insight into how rising energy prices are being experienced across the wider population, beyond those already classified as fuel poor.
The families feeling the greatest pressure
The survey also reveals that energy affordability is not being experienced equally across the country or across different types of household.
Among families with three or more children, 33% say they are very concerned about their ability to afford energy over the next year, substantially above the national figure of 20%.
Working-age households appear particularly exposed. Concern peaks among people aged 35 to 44, with 25% describing themselves as very concerned, compared with 15% among the youngest age group surveyed and 18% among the oldest.
There are also differences according to economic circumstances. Among respondents in the C2DE social grades, 23% are very concerned, compared with 18% in ABC1 households. Among people who are unemployed or not working, the figure rises to 27%.
Geography adds another dimension. In the East of England, 26% of respondents report being very concerned, compared with 14% in the West Midlands. The equivalent figures are 25% in Wales and Northern Ireland, and 22% in Scotland.
These differences underline the importance of understanding household circumstances rather than treating energy affordability as a uniform national issue.
The human consequences are particularly evident in the survey’s individual responses.
One respondent described sitting in a freezing home because they could not afford to turn on the heating during winter. Another questioned whether remaining in employment was financially worthwhile given the combined pressures of taxation and living costs.
Such experiences demonstrate the gap between national discussions about average energy bills and the difficult choices being made within individual households.
The information gap: households want certainty but don’t know where to find it
One of the most revealing findings from the FirstPort research concerns how consumers are responding to uncertainty.
Among respondents not already on fixed-price energy tariffs, 55% say they would consider switching to one.
Yet 35% report that they do not have sufficient information to make an informed decision.
This suggests that, alongside affordability, there is a significant challenge around consumer understanding.
Speaking on FirstPort’s Built. Managed. Lived. podcast, Ed Rees of Energy UK explained that the UK remains particularly exposed to international gas price movements because gas is used extensively both to heat homes and to generate electricity.
When wholesale gas prices rise, the effects can therefore be felt across both gas and electricity bills.
The UK’s quarterly energy price cap also means changes in wholesale costs can feed through to domestic tariffs relatively quickly.
An important distinction, Rees explained, is that the price cap does not limit the total amount a household can spend on energy. Instead, it restricts the unit rates and standing charges suppliers can apply to customers on standard variable tariffs.
Actual bills still depend on consumption. Fixed-price tariffs can offer greater predictability by securing rates for an agreed period, potentially protecting households against subsequent increases. However, they do not automatically represent the cheapest option.
Consumers need to consider the unit rate, standing charge, contract duration, potential exit fees and their own energy consumption before making a decision.
Alternative arrangements, including time-of-use tariffs, may also provide opportunities for savings where households can shift electricity consumption to cheaper periods.
The broader message is that greater understanding can help consumers make better financial decisions.
For households already under pressure, knowing how to compare tariffs, interpret bills and access available support could make a meaningful difference.
The hidden energy bill: why apartment residents face a different challenge
While most public discussion focuses on the gas and electricity consumed inside individual homes, residents of apartment buildings and other managed developments can face an additional source of energy expenditure.
Communal electricity and gas supplies power the infrastructure that makes residential buildings function.
Lifts, corridor lighting, car parks, communal heating systems, gyms, swimming pools and other shared facilities all consume energy. Depending on the building’s arrangements, these costs are typically recovered through service charges.
Crucially, the energy supplying these communal areas is generally purchased through commercial rather than domestic contracts.
Unlike domestic tariffs, commercial energy prices can move rapidly in response to wholesale market conditions, with quotations sometimes changing several times within a single day.
Commercial energy bills also include a range of non-commodity costs, including network charges and government-related levies, which can represent a substantial proportion of the overall cost.
Speaking on the same podcast, Fabian from specialist energy procurement business Energycentric explained that procuring energy for multi-occupancy residential buildings requires a different approach from securing supply for an individual household.
It involves assessing wholesale market conditions, evaluating the structure of contracts, understanding additional charges and identifying appropriate purchasing opportunities.
And because those costs ultimately feed through to residents, predictability becomes especially important.
For a household already worried about its own domestic energy bills, unexpected increases in communal energy expenditure can create an additional financial challenge.
This is why the management of shared energy supplies is becoming an increasingly important part of the wider conversation about residential affordability.
Why energy procurement matters more than ever
For FirstPort, which manages more than 360,000 homes across over 6,000 developments, the challenge is to balance energy market volatility with the need for predictable residential budgets.
Working with specialist procurement expertise, FirstPort typically seeks fixed-price annual contracts for communal energy supplies, helping to reduce exposure to unexpected price movements during the contract period.
Procurement activity can begin well in advance of a new contract, allowing market conditions to be monitored and purchasing opportunities assessed.
The process also extends beyond securing a headline energy rate. Different buildings have different consumption patterns, metering arrangements and operational requirements. Effective procurement therefore requires an understanding of both the energy market and the individual development.
Contract structures, standing charges, unit rates, network costs and applicable taxes all need to be considered.
Invoice validation and accurate consumption data are equally important in identifying billing discrepancies and ensuring applicable reliefs are correctly reflected.
For residents of managed developments, it also means recognising the role of communal energy costs and the importance of how those supplies are purchased and managed.
And for the wider energy and property sectors, it means making an increasingly complex market easier for consumers to understand.
Ultimately, the challenge is not only to help people manage the next increase in energy prices, but to give them greater confidence and control over costs that have become one of the most significant pressures on household finances.
Listen to the Built, Managed, Lived. podcast
Hosted by FirstPort, the Built, Managed, Lived. podcast brings together residents, policymakers, developers, engineers, and industry experts to explore how homes are designed, run and experienced in real life.
