Norwich organisations on the front line of helping people through the cost of living crisis have said current financial packages are not enough to ensure their long-term survival.
Details of the Energy Bill Relief Scheme (EBRS) were unveiled on Wednesday but have left many bosses with cold feet.
Under the new scheme businesses and non-domestic energy customers will have their bills subsidised to provide extra support as the colder months draw in.
Discounts will be applied to energy usage between October 1 and March 31, 2023.
The government will provide a discount on gas and electricity unit prices based on the estimated wholesale portion of the unit price compared to a lower baseline government supported price.
Labour councillor Chrissie Rumsby is involved with Mile Cross's Phoenix Centre, which runs a food bank twice a week.
Cllr Rumsby, who previously called government plans to help people through winter a "sticking plaster", said although grateful for any aid, the scheme still does not offer long-term security.
She said: "I wish we had some long-term plan.
"This may get us through the winter but it doesn't solve our problems.
"People need help. All I can see is a short-sighted plan until March. After then we don't know what's going to happen.
"We need a plan that lasts longer than six months.
"Politicians don't know the mood of the country - or of Mile Cross.
"People are in a situation whereby they are scared about electricity and are making decisions about eating or putting on the heating."
The Reverend Graham Kirk-Spriggs, vicar at St Lukes and St Augustines churches said energy bills are tripling at his sites.
He added: "I'm happy about the news but our bills are still going to go up like everybody else's.
"My major concern is people who are already very close to poverty who will dip into it.
"We've got some ideas to reinsulate our hall to keep costs down.
"Any help is better than none - which is what we were facing.
"My personal view is that without nationalisation we're going to continue seeing escalating costs because the market is a natural monopoly and it's being played by people who want to make a profit."
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