’s energy price cap has come into effect amid concerns that households could still end up paying around 13% more than last winter.
The measures brought the average monthly cost of energy down to £141 but this year, unless further support is announced, average costs from October to December will rise to £160. Under Ofgem’s new TDCV, Cornwall Insight expects the price cap to increase from £1,834 to £1,897 in January.The cap does not set an upper limit on actual bills, and households will pay more or less depending on how much energy they use.
He said: “This means there should be no excuses for suppliers not to be doing all they can to support their customers this winter, and to reinforce this we’ll be introducing a consumer code of conduct which we will look to have in place by winter.” Simon Francis, co-ordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, which is part of the Warm This Winter campaign, said: “From October 1, all households in every part of the country will pay more on energy standing charges, more into the profits of energy firms and many are more in debt to their suppliers.
A survey for uSwitch suggests 23% of households are planning to delay turning on their heating this year due to high costs.Younger consumers appear to be less worried about energy bills, with 38% of those aged 18 to 34 having turned the heating on already, compared with 24% of 35 to 55-year-olds and 17% of over-55s.