Power down as bills soar

MORE than two fifths of households were forced to ration energy over the winter to afford their bills, according to research. Homes with younger people were the most likely to cut power use, says the Compare the Market study.

It comes as millions of households have just been hit with price hikes of an average £96 per year for variable tariffs. Peter Earl, of Compare The Market, said: “It is disappointing given the position we are in, the regulator pushed ahead with its significant rise to the energy price cap. It forces up costs even further for households on a supplier’s variable tariff.”