Energy prices shot up overnight after a huge hike in the limit on bills, leaving households around Britain stunned at how much they were being charged for everyday needs such as showering.
As the 54 per cent increase to Ofgem’s price cap came in, the number of English households in “fuel stress” – those spending at least 10 per cent of their total budgets on energy bills – was forecast to double overnight from 2.5 to five million.
Shocked Britons woke up on Friday to devastating meter readings that reflected the new normal. Many shared reports of their latest charges on social media.
“What a difference a day makes,” one Twitter user wrote while sharing a photo of a smart meter charging £5.76 for 112kWh alongside one showing a charge of £11.21 for 110kWh.
“Might stop looking at my smart meter from now on…just need warm weather for 6 months now!” the user said.
Ofgem said the typical price per kWh from 1 April would be 28p for electricity and 7p for gas, plus daily standing charges. The price per kWh from October to March was 21p for electricity and 4p for gas.
“Smart meter over 4 quid before 11am... wish it was an April Fools,” another user said.
“8.20am and my smart meter already reading £3.15,” another said.
Almost half of adults were struggling to pay their energy bills before the biggest jump in prices in living memory came into effect, figures suggest.
Some 43 per cent of adults in Britain who pay energy bills said they were finding this very or somewhat difficult in March, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The Resolution Foundation think tank forecast that the number of households in “fuel stress” would double overnight on 1 April to 5 million in England alone.
Even before the cap rise, 6 per cent of British adults said they were behind on energy bills.
Since then the cost of everyday uses of energy has in some cases doubled, with the potential to force many families even further behind.
One Twitter user said: “My wife is having a shower and it’s costing £1.65 an hour.”
The same user said they had used £1.20 on energy by 8am.
Another user said their disability meant they would be paying huge sums for heating they could not avoid having on.
“My smart meter currently reads £2.92 at 11.20am it usually reads that at 9pm-ish on a cold day with heating on and after dinner. I have no choice but to have the heating on due to pain caused by my disability,” they said.
The energy price cap for those on default tariffs who pay by direct debit has risen by £693 from £1,277 to £1,971.
Prepayment customers will see a bigger jump, with their price cap rising by £708, from £1,309 to £2,017.
The regulator was forced to hike the energy price cap to a record £1,971 for a typical household as gas prices soared to unprecedented highs. Another rise is set for October.
