Winter 2022-23 energy crisis hit millions of households

The Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) published a report in June 2023 on the winter of 2022-23, describing the period as extremely challenging for millions of people. The charity said the winter came in the aftermath of the pandemic and during a cost-of-living crisis¹.

The report examines the lived experiences of clients who received emergency financial support during that winter. CSE said its focus at the time was on emergency support including quick-win fuel vouchers, emergency hardship funds and referrals to foodbanks. It said it particularly wanted to explore the situation affecting prepayment meter and Economy 7 customers¹.

The report includes first-hand accounts from clients. One account, attributed to Wendy in Wiltshire, describes limiting heating to a single room:

CSE said it found itself operating in a rapidly changing environment as it responded to the pressing needs of struggling households¹. The report is dated June 2023 and is available as a PDF from the charity's website¹. No further figures on the number of households supported, the value of the funds distributed or the regional spread of clients are given in the published summary.

Why it matters for households

The report documents how households on prepayment meters and Economy 7 tariffs experienced the winter of 2022-23, and records the role of emergency fuel vouchers, hardship funds and foodbank referrals in supporting them¹. It describes households cutting back to a single heated room and relying on blankets and hot water bottles¹. The charity's account is of conditions during that winter; it does not set out new measures or changes for the winter ahead. Households facing difficulty with heating or energy costs can find practical guidance in the guide to gas and heating failures.

What happens next

No further steps are set out in the published material. The report itself, dated June 2023, is available from CSE¹.