colletta smith, bbc news.roportion of the rise in wholesale gas prices paid by energy companies will eventually feed through to the food and energy bills paid by the consumer. factoring in the tax increases in the pipeline and the planned reduction in universal credit, the pressure on household finances is set to increase in the coming months. 0ur political correspondent, alex forsyth, reports from stoke—on—trent. at this community garden, they care about health and well—being. families and volunteers growing fresh food — particularly useful perhaps, given there is worry about prices. at the weekly shop, it's gone up about £15 to £25 a week. you just have to cut costs other places, don't you, like, rob peter to pay paul. people here say they are managing, but talk of rising bills is causing concern. at my age, i shouldn't really be worrying about the cost of a shower. i don't think it will be on boris' agenda to look at his thermostat, will it, when he goes home at night? it is terrifying going into winter and

colletta smith, bbc news. our business editor, simonjack, is with me now.nment is under real pressure to act now.- the government is under real pressure to act now. this meeting is auoin on pressure to act now. this meeting is going on between — pressure to act now. this meeting is going on between the _ pressure to act now. this meeting is going on between the business - going on between the business secretary with the head of the cabinet office and also the chief secretary to the treasury and they are trying to thrash out how they will get money to a company called cf which has the big fertiliser plants that supply 60% of co2 in the uk. it is extraordinary they are doing that and the fact they are thinking of subsidising a us owned private company to switch their processes back on is a real measure of how urgent they realise this is. i have been talking to food producers and they say we only have days to fix this, we are packing up stuff for christmas, it is a big deal. there is a 50% chance we might get movement today and they are looking at other source

colletta smith, bbc news.addell is head of european gas at energy aspects — a consultancy that researches the energy industry. it was seen that this is coming to this week. where do you think we are at going forward? we are being warned higher energy prices after some time. this situation has been building for a lot of the year, a lot— building for a lot of the year, a lot of— building for a lot of the year, a lot of it _ building for a lot of the year, a lot of it linked to a lack of russian _ a lot of it linked to a lack of russian gas going into the european balance and we have to remember— european balance and we have to remember this is notjust a uk problem — remember this is notjust a uk problem but a euro wide problem and the _ problem but a euro wide problem and the keys and in terms of how— and the keys and in terms of how quickly we can get prices back— how quickly we can get prices back down on the wholesale market _ back down on the wholesale market within europe and the uk depends— market within e

colletta smith reports. as the wholesale gas price goes up, suppliers are going under, and customers have been caught in the middle. 1.5 million people are now in the process of being transferred to a new energy company. jamie's supply went bust on the weekend and he tried to switch himself so he didn't end up paying too much, but it has backfired. you should be _ but it has backfired. you should be able - but it has backfired. you should be able to - but it has backfired. you should be able to take i should be able to take advantage of any offer on the marketplace at any moment, not have to wait my bust supplier to move me to one that ofgem have been in contact with. in have been in contact with. in two weeks you will be facing another bill but you do not know who it is coming from or how much it is going to be. we are unsure _ how much it is going to be. we are unsure if _ how much it is going to be. - are unsure if we are paying people's energy next month, so we have set up a new direct debit... we are ve

with the very latest, here's colletta smith. two more energy firms have collapsed.s avro and green call in the administrators, that clogs up a total of six energy companies folding within the last fortnight. the industry called for help but the government says they won't bail out suppliers in trouble. in government says they won't bail out suppliers in trouble.— suppliers in trouble. in the first instance, the _ suppliers in trouble. in the first instance, the industry - suppliers in trouble. in the first instance, the industry has - suppliers in trouble. in the first instance, the industry has to i suppliers in trouble. in the first l instance, the industry has to look to itself and, as you said at the beginning of your question, you know where i stand in these issues, i do not believe that it is responsible government to put taxpayers money to companies that... so that means i don't think we should be rewarding failure. we don't think we should be rewarding failure. ~ ., ., , failure. we are now seeing the result of that _ failure. we are now seeing the result of

colletta smith, bbc news. its petrol stations due to a shortage of lorry drivers. the oil company said it was working hard to address the issues. esso has also said a small number of its sites have also been affected. downing street said there was no shortage of fuel and people should continue to buy it as normal. 0ur midlands correspondent phil mackie is in worcesterfor us. what has been happening where you are? t what has been happening where you are? ., ., what has been happening where you are? . . ., what has been happening where you are? . ., ., ., ., ., are? i am at one of the handful of bp stations _ are? i am at one of the handful of bp stations that _ are? i am at one of the handful of bp stations that has _ are? i am at one of the handful of bp stations that has run _ are? i am at one of the handful of bp stations that has run out of. bp stations that has run out of fuel. apparently yesterday. i have been here a few hours and spoke to staff and they said they had been expecting a delivery but then we

colletta smith, bbc news.ng me now is rob gross, a professor of energy policy at imperial college and director of the uk energy research centre. he also sits on 0fgem's academic panel. thanks so much forjoining us. is there an easy way out of this with my there's no easy way out of this in the short term. in my there's no easy way out of this in the short term.— my there's no easy way out of this in the short term. in the long term, we need to — in the short term. in the long term, we need to do _ in the short term. in the long term, we need to do is _ in the short term. in the long term, we need to do is break— in the short term. in the long term, we need to do is break the - in the short term. in the long term, we need to do is break the link- we need to do is break the link between the energy we use and fossil fuels. so in some respects there is a way out of this and that is to continue the progress we have already been making with renewables. the process will be much more stable but honestly that's going t

colletta smith, bbc news. of its petrol stations after a shortage of tanker drivers has led to supply issues. the company said it was working hard to solve the short—term problem. esso also revealed that a small number of its sites have been affected. downing street said there was no shortage of fuel and people should continue to buy it as normal. our news correspondentjon kay has this report from the town of sherborne in dorset. going pump to pump, hunting forfuel in sherborne tonight. the town's only petrol station was expecting a delivery, but nothing's turned up. shocked, really. how am i going to get to work? my missus is nine months pregnant, she's about to drop, and i could actually get stuck somewhere and not be able to get back. you'd better get some petrol. yeah. i'm on empty now, . i'm running on fumes. what are you going to do? hopefully get home. he should be ok, because petrol stations a couple of miles away are still open and national supermarkets are reporting no issues. across the country bp a

our consumer affairs correspondent colletta smith reports. # these boots are made forwalking...#. - it'suk, lots of us have been clicking those buttons to spread the payments. normally you split the bill over a couple of months with no added interest, but missed payments do have consequences, asjordan found out. he's 23, and spent about £300 on clothes with clearpay, klarna and laybuy. but then things went wrong, and his accounts were passed over to debt collection agencies. at that time i was in a financial situation where, ok, i have this first instalment that i can pay now, i'm going to get paid next week, i can pay the second instalment, i'm going to pay the next week, third instalment, i lose myjob and then i'm straight in debt for a while. citizens advice say that none of the leading retailers' websites clearly warned people that they could be referred to debt collectors, or that they could be charged extra at that point. the charity's latest research shows buy now pay later shoppers were charged £39 million in late fees in the past year. the problem with the buy now pay later sect

colletta smith, bbc news.risis in the uk likely to continue throughout the winter? will this country have to get used to such events in the short or longer term? and what are the solutions available? thank you forjoining us. your energy company, are you at any risk, a few aren't, why not? m0. energy company, are you at any risk, a few aren't, why not?— a few aren't, why not? no, we are extremely — a few aren't, why not? no, we are extremely well — a few aren't, why not? no, we are extremely well backed _ a few aren't, why not? no, we are extremely well backed and - a few aren't, why not? no, we are i extremely well backed and extremely well run, so our customers don't need to worry. in fact, customers anywhere in the market don't need to worry at all because the industry is well prepared to take over customers of those suppliers who have failed over recent weeks. you of those suppliers who have failed over recent weeks.— of those suppliers who have failed over recent weeks. you say people are obviously _ over

our consumer affairs correspondent, colletta smith, has this report.alment, i'm going to pay the next week, third instalment, i lose myjob and then i'm straight in debt for a while. citizens advice say that none of the leading retailers' websites clearly warned people that they could be referred to debt collectors, or that they could be charged extra at that point. the charity's latest research shows buy now pay later shoppers were charged £39 million in late fees in the past year. the problem with the buy now pay later sector is that it's grown incredibly quickly, so it trebled in size in 2020 alone. and this means you have effectively an unregulated sector, with lots and lots of potential problems for consumers. so we'd like to see more prominence given to the warnings at checkout about the risks of perhaps paying late fees or the risks of being subject to debt collection. we like to see better treatment of those who actually fall into difficulty, as you have in other areas where people fall behind on payments in other sectors. so, strong regulation

colletta smith, bbc news.ices will 9° up government. short—term, prices will go up but it's manageable. the debate is what happens in the medium term and the extent to which government might step in to help suppliers manage prices to get through the price hikes. we suppliers manage prices to get through the price hikes. we have a selection of _ through the price hikes. we have a selection of props. _ through the price hikes. we have a selection of props. until— through the price hikes. we have a selection of props. until this - selection of props. until this current crisis, people would not have known how important co2 is in food production. have known how important c02 is in food production.— have known how important c02 is in food production. c02, and a number of cases food production. c02, and a number of gases are — food production. c02, and a number of gases are used _ food production. c02, and a number of gases are used in _ food production. c02, and a number of gases are used in food _ food production.

use it defend it as a cheaper alternative to credit cards. 0ur consumer affairs correspondent, colletta smithuttons to spread the payments. normally, you split the bill over a couple of months with no added interest, but missed payments do have consequences, asjordan found out. he's 23, and spent about £300 on clothes with clearpay, klarna and laybuy. but then things went wrong and his accounts were passed over to debt collection agencies. at that time i was in a financial situation where, 0k, i have this first instalment that i can pay now, i'm going to get paid next week, i can pay the second instalment, i'm going to pay the next week, third instalment, i lose myjob and then i'm straight in debt for a while. citizens advice say that none of the leading retailers' websites clearly warned people that they could be referred to debt collectors, or that they could be charged extra at that point. the charity's latest research shows buy now, pay later shoppers were charged £39 million in late fees in the past year. the problem with the buy now, pay later sector is that it's grown incredibly quickl

colletta smith has this report. it's easy, it's fast and it's everywhere.pread the payments. normally you split the bill over a couple of months with no added interest, but missed payments do have consequences, asjordan found out. he's 23, and spent about £300 on clothes with clearpay, klarna and laybuy. but then things went wrong and his accounts were passed over to debt collection agencies. at that time i was in a financial situation where, 0k, i have this first instalment that i can pay now, i'm going to get paid next week, i can pay the second instalment, i'm going to pay the next week, third instalment, i lose myjob and then i'm straight in debt for a while. citizens advice say that none of the leading retailers' websites clearly warned people that they could be referred to debt collectors, or that they could be charged extra at that point. the charity's latest research shows buy now pay later shoppers were charged £39 million in late fees in the past year. the problem with the buy now pay later sector is that it's grown incredibly quickly, so it trebl