THE average York household is paying almost twice as much as last winter to fuel their home during the cost of living crisis, new figures show.

New data from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy shows the average York household consumed 11,928 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of gas and 2,620 kWh of electricity in 2021. One kWh would run an average oven for around 30 minutes.

At the current charging rates capped by the Government, it means the average household on a variable tariff continuing to use the same amount of energy as in 2021 would be paying around £2,354 per year to run their home.

Based on prices in winter last year, the average York household would have had an annual spend of approximately £1,214 for the same amount of energy – just over half as much.

York Central MP, Rachael Maskell, said fuel poverty is having a serious impact on households in the city and around the country, with many cutting back the amount of heating or cooking they do.

The MP said: "My research has unveiled that profiteering energy companies are unscrupulous in who they are moving onto pre-payment regimes where people pay even higher tariffs and courts issuing warrants for people to be switched to pre-payment meters are not being scrutinised to see if there are children, elderly people, disabled people or people with other vulnerable characteristics, instead rubber stamping through hundreds of warrants in a matter of minutes.

“In pressing Government, they say they are protecting vulnerable customers, but my research shows that they clearly are not, nor do they have a grip of the situation, allowing many people to go cold and their houses to become damp this winter.

"I have unveiled a national scandal where this profligate Government should hang their heads in shame.”

National Energy Action said the situation will continue to deteriorate this year as customers face spiralling energy bills when the Government's Energy Price Guarantee – which means bills for a typical household are currently capped at £2,500 per year – rises in April.

Adam Scorer, chief executive of National Energy Action, said the situation could worsen this year following the end of the current Energy Price Guarantee, claiming one in three households will be in fuel poverty.

A spokesperson for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said it has launched a new campaign called 'It All Adds Up' to help families reduce their energy bills.

The energy price cap is expected to drop below Government support levels in July – and energy consultancy firm Cornwall forecasts that energy bills will be around £2,800 for the average household in the final two quarters of 2023.