400,000 left out in the cold

More than 400,000 people have been left without gas or electricity in the last five years because they didn’t have enough money to top up their prepayment meter.

Research by the Citizens Advice found that around 120,000 of the affected households were home to children or someone with a long-term health condition, who are particularly vulnerable to being without heat and power.

■■The average UK household spends £55 a year powering appliances left on standby.

Standby is the energy used by appliances when they are not in use and not switched off at the plug.

The most common electrical goods left on standby are smart speakers and broadband routers, the Energy Saving Trust found.