One in five pensioners who have a household income of £30,000 or less are struggling to pay their energy bills over the winter months, according to new data from Uswitch.com, the price comparison and switching service. 

A survey of 2,001 people found that two in five (40%) keep lights turned off while in the house at night, while 40% report they are only able to pay bills if they make spending cutbacks in other areas. 

Three quarters (75%) admit they have taken some kind of action to reduce their energy bills, including keeping internal doors closed (59%), only heating one room at a time (16%) and wearing a jumper or coat in bed (11%). 

In addtion, 23% of over 65-year-olds in households with an annual income of £30,000 rely on just one cooked meal a day to stay out of debt.

Some of these bill payers could be saving on their energy bills, with just under one in ten (9%) reporting that they do not receive the Winter Fuel Allowance. Over three quarters (77%) of those who don’t receive it say they don’t think they’re eligible for the benefit. 

However, the vast majority of over 65 year-olds are entitled to the payment and should receive it automatically – indicating a potential knowledge gap among some pensioners about what benefits they should already be receiving. 

Sarah Broomfield, Energy Expert at Uswitch.com, says: “It’s really concerning to discover that so many elderly people are struggling to stay out of debt and keep warm over the winter. 

“No one should have to limit how many hot meals they eat every day, or keep their homes dark at night because they’re so worried about their energy bills that they’re put off turning the lights on at night. 

“If people are meant to be automatically enrolled to receive benefits, it’s really important that they know what they’re entitled to – that way they can check if they don’t think they’ve been receiving the support they’re due."