More than a third of UK adults say they will be forced to cut back on everyday spending to afford rising energy bills, according to a major new survey, with many saying they would either have to cut their usage, eat into savings or increase borrowing to cover rising energy costs.
A YouGov survey commissioned by FirstPort, the UK’s largest residential property management company, found that 60% of UK adults were concerned about affording to pay their gas and electricity bills over the next 12 months, including one in five (20%) who said they are very concerned. But behind the headline figure lies a more troubling picture of household finances. More than a third of respondents (35%) would expect to reduce spending elsewhere to meet higher energy costs. Almost a quarter (24%) anticipate having to use slightly less energy, while 13% would expect to cut their consumption significantly.
15% say they would struggle to pay their energy bills if they increased, with 8% expecting to draw on savings or increase borrowing.
In August, regulator Ofgem announced a 4% increase to its energy price cap from 1 October 2026, taking the typical annual gas and electricity bill to £1,723. The rise followed a 13% increase in July and was driven largely by higher wholesale gas prices amid ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
One of the most revealing findings from the FirstPort research concerns how consumers are responding to uncertainty.
55% of UK adults said that if they were not already on a fixed-price energy tariff they would consider switching to one.
Gareth Cayford, Director of Property Management and Customer Operations at FirstPort, said:
“The findings underline the real concern many households have about rising energy costs and the impact they could have on day-to-day finances. At a time when finances remain under pressure, people are looking for greater predictability and reassurance about what they will be paying in the months ahead. It is therefore unsurprising that more than half of those surveyed would consider a fixed-price tariff. For many households, knowing what their energy costs are likely to be throughout the year can make budgeting easier and reduce the uncertainty that comes with fluctuating prices. For the developments we manage across the UK, we secure fixed-price energy tariffs to help provide a more stable and predictable approach to communal energy costs for residents.”
Fabienne Myall, Chief Operating Officer at energy consultancy Energycentric, explained:
“Energy procurement for multi-occupancy residential developments is a complex process that goes beyond securing a competitive wholesale price. It requires an understanding of the wider costs associated with energy supply, as well as identifying the right purchasing opportunities. That approach helps to deliver greater cost certainty and predictability for residents. Nobody wants to receive an estimated bill, only to find they have overpaid or face an unexpected catch-up charge later on. Providing greater certainty around energy costs helps residents budget more effectively and avoid those surprises, particularly at a time when so many households are concerned about the affordability of their energy bills and the impact rising costs could have on their finances.”
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%.
There were significant regional variations within this category, with 14% of respondents in the West Midlands ‘very concerned’ about the cost of energy over the next 12 months, rising to 26% in the East of England. One possible reason for the increased concern in the East of England is that over 7% of homes are heated by oil, double that in England as a whole, according to the Office for National Statistics. Heating oil is not covered by the Ofgem energy price cap.
For Scotland, it was 22% and 25% for both Wales and Northern Ireland.
Government statistics estimate that 2.36 million households in England were living in fuel poverty in 2025 under the official Low Income Low Energy Efficiency (LILEE) 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.
Personal comments from respondents highlight the impact rising energy costs could have on household finances. One respondent said: “I would give up work and claim benefits as it would be the only way to survive. Working and paying heavy taxes is getting not worth doing.”
Another commented: “I sit in the freezing cold because I cannot afford to put my heating on in winter.”
YouGov surveyed 2,125 adults online on 18 and 19 August. Respondents included homeowners (60%), private renters (17%), social housing residents (11%) and those in other forms of accommodation (12%). The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+).
