UK faces energy crisis amid crippling rise in electricity and gas bills

Millions of British households face further crippling rises in their electricity and gas bills next winter, with the latest projections suggesting the energy price cap will nearly double to £2,400 a year from October.

The calculation by energy consultancy EnAppSys for the Financial Times underlines that Britain’s looming cost-of-living crisis is likely to be protracted as wholesale gas prices continue to trade at historically high levels.

The 25 charities - including Save the Children, Age UK, End Fuel Poverty and Greenpeace - have called for urgent government action to tackle the energy bills crisis.

It comes as experts predicted rising wholesale costs will result in a 50% rise in bills from April, when the latest energy price cap takes effect.

This could result in the gas and electricity for an average household rising to nearly £2,000 a year - compared to under £1,300 at the moment.

Dan Paskins, of Save the Children, said: "The cost-of-living crisis, fuelled by soaring energy prices, is totally unsustainable and is hitting the lowest-income families the hardest.

While the British government drags its feet on dealing with a looming cost of living catastrophe caused by stalling wages and rising tax and energy bills, less fortunate Britons will have a tough winter to battle through, with or without a pet for warmth.

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