Nearly 24% of older households in England will be under fuel stress with the new price cap coming into force from 1st April.

That’s according to charity Age UK which predicts the number of ‘fuel stressed’ older people could rise even further to 35% when prices go up again with the new price cap in October.

The new report defines households to be in fuel stress if they are spending more than 10% of their after-tax income on energy bills.

From 1st April, the price cap will rise from the current level of £1,277 to £1,971 – prepayment customers will see an increase of £708 from £1,309 to £2,017.

Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director of Age UK, said: “The current energy price crisis is a nightmare for all of us, but particularly for older people on low and modest incomes.

“Unfortunately, the support package offered by the Chancellor last month was nowhere near enough, falling several hundred pounds a year short of the average energy price rises that are coming down the track.

“The government has no answer and meanwhile, older people up and down the country are telling us that they are horrified by the letters they’re receiving from their energy companies, making it clear that their bills are set to rise beyond anything they’ve seen before.”