LONDON / AGILITYPR.NEWS / August 26, 2026 / As energy prices rise, charities will face a rise in demand for support this winter, while already facing severe pressure from rising bills and inefficient draughty buildings. 

Jack Wakefield, Head of Policy at the finance charity, Social Investment Business, said:

"Today's price-cap will mean more people looking to charities for support this winter: from food banks, youth programmes, and warm spaces. But with charity bills having also surged 12% in just four months, the pressure on services to meet this demand will be immense. The Warm Homes Plan - announced last winter - must now be fast-tracked so that the benefits of clean power reach the households and community spaces which are now under immense strain."

David Barclay, Campaign Director at Warm Welcome Campaign said: 

"As energy bills continue to rise, warm spaces are not a nice extra. They are where people go when they are lonely, cold or in a crisis. Over 14.4 million people live in poverty in the UK and 7% of people experience chronic loneliness. Without action, we risk losing the services and spaces communities depend on, and which cannot easily be rebuilt.” 

Relevant stats / research:

• Charity electricity costs have surged 12% in just four months, with high bills locked in for the rest of the decade [link]
• Smaller charities are now paying as much as 33% of their entire budget on energy bills [link]
• More than one in five community spaces are already struggling to pay their bills [link]
• Over 50% of community buildings in England fall below EPC C, the basic level of energy efficiency, with this rising to 3 in 5 buildings in the most deprived areas. [link]

For interviews or more information:

 press@sibgroup.org.uk 

About Social Investment Business

At Social Investment Business we finance social change. Through a mix of funding, investment and innovation, we back the organisations that make up the social economy – those tackling inequality, improving lives, and driving positive change every day. Our role is to provide the support, flexibility, and trusted partnership they need to thrive. As one of the UK’s largest social investors, we’ve deployed over £0.8bn in loans and grants since 2002. We’ve supported more than 6,000 charities and social enterprises, while using our expertise to research, innovate and advocate for the sector. Driving our work are three core priorities: unlocking energy resilience, transforming public services, and strengthening community assets like housing, community buildings and land.