"It's hard to find hope" says pensioner facing nightmare winter as Energy Price Cap rises

A pensioner who lives “hand to mouth” and “never goes out” says "it will be a dire situation for all" following today's (October 1) new energy price cap. Simon Moss, a 70-year-old retired customer service assistant, is facing a harsh winter ahead in his cold housing association bungalow.

He is one of 11.8 million people in the UK who say they don't have enough to live on, according to a new report from Christians Against Poverty. Today a new energy price cap has come into force, causing many household bills to rise.

From 1 October to 31 December, gas prices will be capped at 6.24p per Kilowatt hour (kWh), and electricity at 24.50p per kWh. This change will mean a dual-fuel direct debit household using a typical amount of energy will see a £149 increase in their energy bills per year - totalling the annual cost to £1,717.

READ MORE: Energy Price Cap calculator: Find out how much your bills will change

Simon, from Sunderland, said: "It will be a dire situation for all and will leave many people, like myself, in very difficult positions. Life is a struggle and I've had to make so many cutbacks.

"I never go out and hardly ever drink anymore. I'm scared for the winter.”

A few years ago, Simon found himself in a difficult financial situation and sought help from Christians Against Poverty (CAP) after being referred by Gentoo Housing. With the assistance of his CAP Debt Centre Manager, Simon was able to go debt-free through a Debt Relief Order. However, managing his finances remains a constant struggle.

Simon says his pension from various jobs in retail plus his state pension narrowly tips him over the edge of the threshold to not get the winter fuel allowance. It was scrapped for 10 million pensioners by the Labour government went it came into office to help plug the £22bn hole in government finances.

Simon's weekly income is around £219 but even this modest amount isn't enough to cover all his expenses without making significant sacrifices. Simon said: "Excuses are running thin for the government and it's hard to find hope. I've learned over the past few months to cancel everything I used to have—no Sky TV, just Freeview, and I hardly ever go out or drink anymore.

“I've had to give up smoking, which I guess is one good thing. But my car has started to play up and when that goes, I don't know how I'll afford to get that fixed."

Simon’s lifestyle now is stripped of luxuries—no holidays, no treats and he describes his existence as "living hand to mouth each day".

“It’s a case of constantly robbing Peter to pay Paul," he said. Simons says the thought of enduring another winter like the last one but without any help from the government fills him with anxiety.

Simon said: "Last year, it was freezing. I wasn’t putting the heating on unless I absolutely had to, which is why I'm in dispute with my provider. I was barely using it, and if we get a cold winter this year, I’m dreading it."

Simon added: "It's going to be very difficult for people who are going into a situation if we get a cold spell and having to choose between heating or eating. It will put more pressure on the NHS and it just seems crazy that in 2025 people are still going to be living like this. Especially people like us who have contributed to the system all our very lives."