Up to 40pc of Brits face fuel poverty in winter

Spiking electricity and gas prices could force as many as four in ten Britons into fuel poverty next winter and the government must offer more help, the sector warned Tuesday.

Bosses of major UK domestic energy providers, appearing before lawmakers, urged the government to cushion the impact and prevent  "horrific" fallout for millions who will spend a high proportion of income on fuel.

Britain is forecast to raise its cap on energy bills again in October for consumers who are not on a fixed deal with their supplier, having already imposed a massive hike in April.

The industry has been rocked by a vast spike in wholesale energy costs after the economy reopened from lockdown and on fallout from the Ukraine war.

Scottish Power head Keith Anderson said the problem would be masked by low demand in summer months -- but this would change during the cold winter as consumers reach for the thermostat.

"During the summer, consumption will go down so (household) bills will be more manageable," Anderson told the UK parliament's Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee.

"Come October, that's going to get horrific, truly horrific." UK inflation hit a three-decade peak at 7.0 per cent in March and the Bank of England predicts double digits by the end of 2022 as the cost-of-living crisis intensifies on runaway energy costs.

The situation will worsen significantly later this year, according to the head of German-owned provider E.ON UK. "We're looking at up to 30 to 40 per cent of people going into fuel poverty, when the price goes up again in October," Michael Lewis told the committee on Tuesday.

Fuel poverty is when a household cannot afford to heat their home to an adequate temperature, due to factors such as low income, high fuel prices, and poor energy efficiency.