UK household bills to hit three-year high this winter after Ofgem reveals price cap rise

Millions of households will face a squeeze from soaring energy bills this winter with prices set to hit a three-year high from October.Regulator Ofgem increased the price cap to a three-year high on Wednesday, raising it by 4 per cent from October 1 for a typical household in England, Scotland and Wales.Ofgem said the price cap will rise by £60 per year – or £5 per month – to £1,723 for the average household using both electricity and gas if this level was sustained for a year. It serves as a major blow for the Labour government, as the energy secretary admitted the prime minister’s formerly announced help on energy bills will not cover the price hike.Andy Burnham has vowed to continue to look for ways to get prices down in the long term, but faces criticism from political opponents and ca