EDF, serving 2.7 million UK households, warns the Iran conflict is exacerbating energy price shocks, pushing more customers into debt. The supplier reports one in eight customers is already more than 45 days overdue on bills before current wholesale price increases fully impact households. Philippe Commaret, head of customers, calls for immediate regulatory intervention to protect vulnerable consumers.

Household energy debt has already reached £4.5bn by Q3 2025, with industry experts expecting more increases. Energy UK estimates households pay an extra £50 annually on average to cover debt collection costs. The price cap, scheduled to decrease in April, could instead rise by as much as 20% in July due to the Iran conflict's impact on wholesale markets.

The mounting debt crisis threatens suppliers' ability to invest and attract capital while thin profit margins leave many failing to meet new capital adequacy requirements. Ofgem's proposed debt relief scheme has drawn criticism for being too slow and insufficient. The scheme costs will ultimately be passed to consumers, adding to the financial strain on households already struggling to pay energy bills.