The think-tank New Economics Foundation said that a "ripple effect" would begin at 6,000 participants and that non-payment would force government relief, otherwise Ofgem would have to increase prices at a faster rate.[1] Journalist Martin Lewis said government financial relief was needed because "once it starts becoming socially acceptable not to pay energy bills people will stop paying energy bills and you're not going to cut everyone off".[2] An associate professor at the University of Nottingham, Hafez Abdo, commented that the boycott could have "detrimental consequences on energy companies and supply chains", leaving them unable to pay for operating costs, and causes bankruptcies and job losses. Abdo said that government action was needed to avoid this outcome.[19]