Fuel Poverty Awareness Day: Shining a Light on a Hidden Crisis

By Hemali Parekh (Project Worker – Social, Housing and Financial Support)

Wednesday 26^th November is Fuel Poverty Awareness Day – an important reminder of the ongoing energy crisis that has affected millions of households over the past four years. While many of us take warm homes and hot meals for granted, this basic need is increasingly out of reach for a growing number of people across the UK.

According to National Energy Action (NEA), 6.1 million households are currently living in fuel poverty. That means millions of people are unable to keep their homes warm and healthy. What’s often less understood is just how deeply this affects mental health. Research shows a strong link between fuel poverty, mental ill health and suicide risk, and from the conversations I have in my work, I know this to be true.

A Crisis Hidden in Plain Sight
Fuel poverty is something many wouldn’t expect to see on such a large scale in the Western world. Yet the reality is stark: there are real cases of people who have been unable to heat their home or feed their family and have then felt that suicide was their only option.

Through my work as a Practical Support Worker at Harmless, I meet people daily who are choosing between heating, eating or keeping up with other essential costs. Many simply don’t have enough money to cover rising energy bills, forcing them to ration heating and hot water. Over time, this leads to damp, mould and worsening health – for them and their families.

Some of the people I support are in full-time employment and still cannot afford their fuel costs. Others are unable to work due to long-term health conditions, made worse by living in cold environments. Continued financial strain creates spiralling debt that becomes harder and harder to escape. For those on prepayment meters, this often results in unsafe energy rationing or voluntary self-disconnection just to reduce spending.

Bad debt within the energy sector continues to grow – and ultimately adds to everyone’s bills. But behind these numbers are human stories of fear, shame, anxiety and exhaustion.

This Year’s Focus: Children Living in Fuel Poverty
This Fuel Poverty Awareness Day, NEA is focusing on the experiences of children and young people living in cold, damp homes. The impacts are profound and long-lasting:

• Reduced learning ability, with children struggling to focus on schoolwork
• Difficulty concentrating due to cold, discomfort or hunger
• Increased health issues, including respiratory conditions made worse by mould and damp
• Limited access to hot, nutritious food
• Reduced social engagement, as children may feel unable to invite friends into their home

No child should be left coping with these challenges. A warm, secure home is not a luxury – it’s a fundamental building block for health, wellbeing and development.

Why Awareness Matters
Suicide prevention is not just about responding in a crisis. It’s about understanding the real-life pressures that chip away at a person’s wellbeing day after day.

Fuel poverty is more than an economic issue – it’s a human one. It’s about dignity, safety, health and mental wellbeing. It affects people quietly, behind closed doors, and often with deep shame attached.

By raising awareness, we help challenge stigma, encourage conversations and let people know they are not alone. We also strengthen our collective call for change – because no one should face the choice between warmth and wellbeing.

At Harmless, we will continue to advocate for those affected, support individuals in crisis and highlight the link between financial hardship and suicide risk. If you or someone you know is affected by fuel poverty or its emotional impact, please reach out. Support is available and there is always a way forward.

If you’d like to take action today, please consider supporting NEA’s ‘Nation’s Biggest Housewarming’. The funds raised help families access warmth, support and vital services at a time when they need them most.

Every bit of support helps create safer, warmer homes – and can, in turn, support the vital work of suicide prevention.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, and for caring about an issue that so deeply affects the people we support at Harmless. Together, we can bring warmth, hope and safety to those who need it most.