British households face record 54% energy bill rise as price cap is raised

Move by Ofgem means millions likely to be driven into fuel poverty unless government acts to ease cost of living crisis

Households will face a record energy bill increase of 54% from April after the regulator lifted the cap on default tariffs to 1,971.

The energy regulator, Ofgem, lifted the maximum rate that suppliers can charge for an average dual-fuel energy tariff by 693, to reflect the fourfold increase in energy market prices over the last year.