A Suffolk counselling service has written to an MP appealing for urgent action to help impoverished consumers in the county facing mounting debts brought on by the cost-of-living crisis.

Rev Nic Stuchfield, chair of Suffolk Coastal Debt Centre, which provides debt counselling, is calling on Dr Therese Coffey, MP for Suffolk Coastal and secretary of state for work and pensions, to press the Government to prevent plans to increase the energy price cap in October.

The planned rise could see average bills reach £4,200 a year.

He has also asked for an adjustment to the Universal Credit benefit payment and the National Living Wage to reflect the inflationary pressures, along with a review of living costs and benefit levels to take into account that people experience different levels of inflation based on their consumption.

The debt problem has become particularly acute recently because whereas previously consumers would be able to pay off their debts by adjusting their incomes and spending patterns, now the only option was to write them off.

But even after write-off, they were still struggling to find sufficient income to meet the spiralling costs for the bare essentials of life, often despite increasing their working hours and maximising their benefits.

“People come to us in desperation and we are unable to give them hope that even after their debts have been relieved, they can afford life’s basic necessities. In a civilised and economically advanced democracy, this is simply not acceptable,” Rev Stuchfield said.

In the letter, he accepted that ditching the increased price cap would hit utility companies, but said the Government should instead subsidise energy providers directly, remove VAT on domestic energy permanently and suspend all green levies.

He urged that the review of living costs should consider the impact of inflation on those living in rural areas where food, energy and transport costs took up a larger proportion of the household budget.

“Not only are the hardships experienced by those who are in poverty becoming significantly greater but the number of those falling below the threshold for a reasonable quality of life is rising dramatically. I fear for our national social fabric if decisive action is not taken urgently,” he added.

Dr Coffey declined to comment.