People are petrified of the hardships they might face, as the cost of living crisis looks set to continue into the winter.
That's according to Caitriona Twomey from Cork Penny Dinners who says she expects a large number of people will end up using so-called warm banks when the weather turns cold.
Warm banks are heated spaces such as community centres, museums and libraries where people who can't afford to heat their homes go to stay warm during the day.
The issue is making the headlines in the UK currently, with fears that efforts to provide the warm spaces may be impacted by huge energy price increases leading to reduced opening hours.
Speaking to RedFM News, Caitriona Twomey from Cork Penny Dinners says she fears that people may have to make very difficult decisions this winter.
"People are just saying they won't be able to turn the heating on, or have it on as much as they would like to, to keep themselves warm.
"We're talking about everybody here right across the board, from the young to our pensioners who are going to suffer big time, old people have to be warm, and young children have to have their house warm as well.
"Everybody deserves to be warm in their own home and not be afraid to turn on the heating. People are afraid to turn on their lights."
