Surging energy prices push inflation up to highest level since March

Simon Francis, coordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, says people are going to extreme measures to save money.

He said: “The reliable indicators of what is actually happening to household energy prices are the unit rates and standing charges and these latest predictions of yet further rises driven by the cost of gas will be deeply worrying to households up and down the country.

“We’re now seeing energy consumption decline. Some reduction could be seen as a good thing, caused by better energy efficiency in people’s homes.

“But sadly, for many households, reductions in energy use have happened simply because people cannot afford to use as much energy as in the past.

“That means that some are demonstrating dangerous behaviours such as cutting back on washing and for one in 10 members of the public, skipping hot meals to save on energy.

“Meanwhile all of this is set against a backdrop of energy firms posting in excess of £6 billion profits on their UK operations in 2026 alone.”