Almost 465,000 households in the UK are expected to face fuel poverty this winter due to a 12.2% surge following a January price cap increase.
Data from data science firm Outra indicates a rise in the total number of households experiencing fuel poverty, now reaching 4.29 million.
Birmingham tops the list with 19,000 new households entering fuel poverty, followed by South Yorkshire (17,200), Newcastle (12,100) and Glasgow (11,900).
The energy price cap, designed to limit supplier charges, resulted in an average annual increase of £94 on energy bills, rising from £1,834 to £1,928 in January.
Outra’s analysis suggests that despite a drop in fuel prices from their peak, the financial strain on households remains significant.
The report’s findings highlight a concerning trend as self-defined “high risk” households are more likely to fall into fuel poverty.
The anticipated increase in rates is expected to push 383,000 “high-risk” households into fuel poverty, a 19% rise from October 2023.
These households will face an average 6.68% increase in energy bills between October 2023 and January 2024, potentially exacerbating their current financial struggles.
Rocio Concha, Which? Director of Policy and Advocacy, said: “These figures show that energy affordability issues have not gone away. Energy debt has risen hugely over the crisis and prices are predicted to remain high until the end of the decade.
“Lower income households with unavoidably higher usage – such as families with young children – are more likely to be left in the cold this winter and beyond.
“The government needs to set out its plans to deal with the issue. A properly targeted social tariff would ensure more affordable energy bills for those who need it most.”
