UK Energy Crisis : Londoners Turn to ‘Warm Banks’ to Survive Winter Cold

As energy bills soar and winter tightens its grip, more London residents are relying on “warm banks” — community spaces offering heat, hot meals, and support for those who can’t afford to heat their homes. At places like Westbourne Park Baptist Church’s Warm Welcome Café, weekly visitors have doubled as families, elderly residents, and vulnerable people seek relief from the cold. Many say rising energy costs are affecting their health, finances, and daily lives — while frustration grows over government priorities and spending. With Ofgem price caps rising again, millions across the UK are bracing for even higher bills this winter.