The average annual fuel bill has risen to £1,247 for direct debit customers, and £1,330 for those paying by cash or cheque.

A report recently published by the Fuel Poverty Advisory Group (FPAG) stated that up to 9 million households could be stricken by fuel poverty (spending more than 10% of your income on heating your home) by 2016.

There are almost 5 million households in fuel poverty already in the UK, says the End Fuel Poverty Coalition on their website, nearly half of which are pensioners or contain children or a disabled person.

Derick Lickorish, chairman of the FPAG, said “a toxic cocktail of rising wholesale prices, the high cost of energy reforms and cuts in incomes for many households means fuel poverty levels are set to skyrocket without radical action.”

The group are pushing for government action to reduce levels of fuel poverty, by carrying out an impact assessment of welfare reforms on fuel poverty, as well as creating a cross-departmental group on fuel poverty.

A spokesman for the Environment Department said that 2 million households will get help under the Warm Homes Discount Scheme this year, including a million pensioners who will receive £130 off their bills.