Number of families in fuel poverty ‘will rise by 200%’ when price cap goes up in April

THE number of families in fuel poverty will soar by 200 per cent when the energy price cap goes up in April, a report predicts.

About 6.3 million households will have to spend ten per cent or more of earnings to cover bills.

This will leave them officially in fuel poverty, says the Resolution Foundation think tank.

Struggling families across the “Red Wall” are set to be the worst clobbered by the cost of living crisis.

One in three across the North East and West Midlands are set to be plunged into fuel poverty because of the hikes.

Anxious Tory MPs have warned Boris Johnson that he must fix the cost of living crisis if he wants to stay on as Prime Minister.

One told Trending In The News: “He needs to ditch the green c**p and sort out the cost of living.

“Stop banging on about foie gras and bringing in pints of champagne and go back to the bread and butter issues which actually affect people.

“Means-tested support for the poorest isn’t enough. The squeezed middle are going to see their bills rocket and must be helped too.”

The embattled PM is under huge pressure to ditch VAT on energy, scrap green levies and increase means-tested support — but has yet to ­settle on a final plan.

The Resolution Foundation’s Jonny Marshall said: “Rising gas prices are causing energy bills to soar and will see the number of families suffering from ‘fuel stress’ treble.

“Fuel stress levels are particularly high among pensioners and those in poorly insulated homes — a stark reminder of the need to modernise Britain’s leaky housing stock and curb dependency on gas for power and heating.”