Consumer Scotland published findings from the eighth wave of its Energy Affordability Tracker on 27 May 2026, showing household energy debt in Scotland at a record level. The survey was carried out between 27 January and 17 February 2026 with around 1,600 adults aged 16 and over in Scotland1.
The tracker found 19% of households reporting energy debt, up from 15% in the previous wave and 9% in January and February 20241. Most of that debt is less than a year old and does not involve a formal repayment plan or recovery action, though 36% of those in debt report being placed on a prepayment meter as a result1. On affordability, 38% of households said they could not heat their home to a comfortable level and 16% reported difficulty keeping up with bills1. Consumer Scotland said these pressures are more acute among households receiving means-tested benefits, households where a member has a disability or health condition, low-income households and working-age households1. Satisfaction with energy suppliers stood at 76%2.
The publication coincided with Ofgem's announcement that the energy price cap will rise by 13% a year in July, which Consumer Scotland attributed to rising wholesale prices caused by the impact of the Iran war. For a household using a typical amount of gas and electricity, that means £221 more a year and an annual bill of £1,8621. The tracker's fieldwork predates the start of the conflict in the Middle East, so the figures do not capture its effect on prices2.
Consumer Scotland also set out the wider debt picture. Total domestic energy debt and arrears across Great Britain reached £4.55bn in Q4 2025, an increase of £700m in a year, up from £1.09bn in Q1 2018. Arrears now make up the majority of that total at £3.44bn2. The price cap fell from £1,849 in April 2025 to £1,641 in April 2026, which Consumer Scotland linked mainly to the UK Government moving some policy costs off energy bills and onto general taxation, a change it said came into effect in April and leaves domestic bills £150 lower than they would otherwise have been2.
"This latest increase announced by Ofgem means households across Scotland will face further pressure on already stretched finances."
Why it matters for households
Energy debt at this scale affects homes that are not in debt themselves. Consumer Scotland states that the costs of debt are socialised across energy bills, and that the allowances included in the price cap to cover debt-related costs are rising2. That links the arrears figures in Household Energy Debt and Arrears Statistics to the standing charges and unit rates every household pays.
The tracker also shows how debt and affordability pressures concentrate. Consumer Scotland reports that most debt is recent and outside formal repayment arrangements, which it says points to scope for suppliers to agree manageable plans1. For households in Scotland, the practical routes to support sit with Consumer Scotland and other energy consumer bodies, and the help available with energy bills and debt in Scotland. The wider relationship between bill levels and a home's exposure to wholesale fossil fuel costs is set out in Energy Bills and Energy Independence.
What happens next
The current price cap is fixed until the end of June, with the 13% rise taking effect in July1. Consumer Scotland said it is developing proposals for the UK and Scottish governments on targeting support using UK-wide and Scottish data, and that it supports Ofgem's planned Debt Relief Scheme and stronger supplier engagement on repayment plans1. It also welcomed the UK Government's investigation of additional targeted bill support for winter 2026-2027 should the Middle East conflict cause significant price increases2. Findings on standing charges and bill understanding will appear in a separate forthcoming report2.