AN INCREASING number of Rose City pensioners are having their electricity shut off and are forgoing basics such as food and heating as a result of financial pressures.

The Queensland Competition Authority has released data showing 1070 pensioners and concession card holders had electricity disconnected in the December quarter because they couldn't pay their bills.

That is a 36% increase on the three previous months, where 787 were left in the dark for failing to pay bills.

Warwick Senior Citizens Association spokesman Mick McEniery said the situation was dire in the Rose City.

"Our pensioners are cutting back on essentials, such as food and will intentionally not use electricity," he said.

"Electricity is a big expense, particularly in our area, where people rely on heating because it gets so cold here.

"They won't use heating and they will stay in bed all day because it is the only way they can keep warm."

Mr McEniery said seniors were already at risk of isolation and financial stresses could cause the problem to soar.

"That is very concerning because they don't go out, they don't socialise and it can impact their health," he said.

Despite the concerns, Mr McEniery said he believed there was little government support for the problem.

"I don't think politicians understand how serious a plight the seniors are facing financially - it is very serious," he said.

"The LNP is only paying lip service to the seniors.

"In the eyes of the politicians, seniors don't have a big impact on the outcome of elections because there aren't many organised groups, they're so fragmented."

Mr McEniery said he would support bigger rebates for pensioners but said it would also be beneficial to implement a scheme that educated seniors on how to be energy savvy.

He said it was important for seniors to be made aware of what they can do to reduce their power usage and save their money on power bills.

A 21.4% electricity price hike is predicted for July in south-east Queensland.

Federal Families and Community Service Minister Jenny Macklin said Queensland power bills would only get worse if Tony Abbott was elected Prime Minister.

She said the state's 678,400 pensioners would lose the clean energy supplement - $350 extra a year for single pensioners and $530 for pensioner couples - if the LNP wins the September election.