3 October 2008
Soaring gas and electricity prices have pushed thousands more households into fuel poverty, according to new research from uSwitch.com. The independent price comparison and switching service found that 5.4 million households are now spending 10% or more of their net income on energy. This is up from 4 million at the beginning of the year and follows a 42% increase in gas and electricity bills which has added £4.3 million to household energy bills in just eight months. Almost a third of pensioner households are now in fuel poverty, as are 20% of families with one income and 17% of single person working households, the research shows. Ann Robinson, Director of Consumer Policy at uSwitch.com, said: "2008 is set to be remembered as the year Britain was crippled by inflation, soaring fuel bills and the rampant growth of fuel poverty." The Royal British Legion claimed recently that many UK pensioners are being forced to ration their energy use in a manner comparable to the Second World War.
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