WAGES WELL BEHINDBILLS

Household bills have leapt twice as fast as wages over the past decade, according to a study.

Gas prices have rocketed 73%, electricity by 72% and water by a punishing 41% in that time.

Together with increases in council tax and phone bills, the average household has seen their essential outgoings soar 43% in the past 10 years, according to high street bank Santander.

That compares with wages which have risen on average by 19% since 2007.

Separate figures revealed the average family’s annual food bill has gone up £133 in the past year.

Food inflation – the year-on-year rise in prices – topped 3.2% last month, according to industry number crunchers Kantar Worldpanel, as the weak pound since last year’s Brexit vote pushes up import costs.

June’s heatwave helped supermarkets post their biggest jump in sales for five years.

Shoppers flocked to frozen food chain Iceland, which enjoyed a 7.4% rise in sales.