A round of price hikes from two of the UK's biggest energy suppliers is expected to signal a further flurry of fuel increases that will hit some of Britain's most hard-up consumers where it hurts.
Last week the UK's largest energy supplier - British Gas - announced a rise of around nine per cent for both gas and electricity tariffs, set to come in on November 26th. Such a price rise would add £109 to the average dual fuel bill, according to reports.
And fellow Big Six fuel monopoly member npower also announced a similar hike in prices, with gas set to rise by 8.8 per cent and electricity prices expected to rise by 9.1 per cent.
Director of consumer policy for uSwitch.com Ann Robinson has said the announcements - which come as SSE's earlier predicted round of price increases comes into effect - will force householders to take control of their energy tariff as well as use of gas and electricity around the home.
"With SSE's hike coming into effect [today] (October 15th) and both British Gas and npower announcing [this week], consumers are heading into a winter of discontent," said Ms Robinson. "The upshot of this triple whammy is that we can expect to be paying a record amount for our energy - the average household energy bill has never been so high and consumers will be demanding to know why.
"This is a frightening prospect," the expert continued. "Last winter over eight in ten households were rationing their energy over fear of the cost. And now the pressure of an extra £100 or so on energy bills will leave many more buckling. As we head into another winter, the potential impact on health and well-being is immense."
One way householders can take more control of their fuel spend is by minimising how much energy is used on heating and lighting. Insulating your home is a proven cost-cutting method, while installing energy-saving LED lighting - be it LED bathroom lights or outdoor lights in the garden - can also drive down fuel use.
