Martin Lewis Issues Warning After Almost 100,000 People Refuse To Pay Their Energy Bills

Martin Lewis has shared an urgent warning as almost 100,000 people vow not to pay their energy bills as prices are set to increase again later this year.

Earlier this week, the Bank of England warned that the country was heading towards a recession amid the cost of living crisis.

Brits across the country have struggled to pay their energy bills as prices have soared, while the cost of fuel and food have also hiked.

The MoneySavingExpert.com founder, 50, has said that the UK is approaching a situation similar to the atmosphere that led to the poll tax riots in 1990.

ITV

He made his comments in a recent interview on the ITV show Peston.

Lewis said: "The big growth that I'm seeing is an increasing number of people calling for a non-payment of energy bills process. Effectively a consumer strike on energy bills.

He explained: "Many people are spontaneously calling for that. We are getting close to a poll tax moment.

"We need the government to get a handle on [energy bills],” he said. “Because once it starts becoming socially acceptable not to pay energy bills, people will stop paying energy bills and you're not going to cut everyone off."

Lewis discussed a group of people, who are working under the name Don’t Pay, as they encourage others to refuse to pay their energy bills from 1 October in protest.

PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo

Don't Pay had accumulated around 5,000 Twitter followers at the time of Lewis’s interview on 20 July.

However, at the time of writing, that number has increased to 87,000 Twitter followers, showing how quickly the movement is spreading.

The group is aiming to have one million people join their movement before 1 October and they are setting up email lists and regularly posting on Telegram, TikTok, Instagram, Reddit and Twitter to spread awareness.

Piotr Stasiuk / Alamy Stock Photo

The Don't Pay movement's aim is simple. The group’s manifesto reads: "We demand the govt scrap the energy price rises and deliver affordable energy for all. We will build a million pledges and by Oct 1st if the govt and energy companies fail to act we will cancel our direct debits."

Energy bills are set to rise yet again in October, potentially by a staggering 65 percent.

If a bill payer is currently charged £100 a month for your energy, you could pay up to £165 from this October.

The hike comes after the rise of 54 percent earlier this year, which when combined with the increase in October, could force some to pay twice as much for their energy bills.