Just under 3,500 customers were cut off from their gas or electricity last year due to non payment.
New figures from the Commission for Regulation of Utilities show the number of electricity disconnections jumped 173% to 2,498 in 2022 when compared to the previous year, while the number of gas disconnections increased by 97% to 990.
The significant jump is largely due to the ending of the disconnection moratorium, which was in place from January to June last year.
Despite the rise, the CRU pointed out that the number of disconnections is still below pre-Covid levels.
At the end of last year over 20% of gas customers were in arrears, up from 13% the previous year, while just under 11% of electricity customers were behind on payments, down from 13% in 2021.
According to the CRU, the average price hike for domestic customers was 76% for electricity and 100% for gas for a standard pricing plan between 2021 and 2022.
16% of electricity customers switched supplier last year to find a better rate, while 17% of gas customers switched.
Meanwhile, 21% of electricity and gas customers renegotiated their contracts with their current supplier, a 50% and 20% increase from 2021 in electricity and gas, respectively.
