NEARLY 400,000 Scots are experiencing energy debt, according to new figures by Consumer Scotland.
An estimated 383,000 households in Scotland are facing energy debt or arrears.
The Consumer Scotland Energy Tracker also showed that the proportion of consumers who said they were put on a prepayment meter due to their debts more than doubled in the past year, from 16% to 34%.
The increase comes as Ofgem prepares to announce a new energy cap on Friday, which is predicted to fall.
Consumer Scotland director of research and analysis David Eiser said: "Challenges remain acute for some groups, and there are ongoing legacies in terms of energy debt and anxiety for consumers. In the short term, this underlines the need for further energy bill support targeted at those consumers who need it most.
“Ofgem’s proposals to provide relief to customers who accumulated energy debt during the crisis period are welcome. We also want the UK and Scottish governments to provide more targeted affordability support for consumers that need it the most as quickly as practical."
Despite the increase in people experiencing debt, consumers are finding it easier to keep up with their energy bills, compared to during the peak of the cost of living crisis in 2022 and 2023.
Ofgem is also working on a proposed Debt Relief Scheme to aid those struggling most with costs, which include those with disabilities, health conditions and households with children under five.
