Fuel bills rise by £60 to £453 after cold winter and Middle Eastern unrest

Families are braced for a hike in fuel bills as the effects of the cold winter and the Middle East's troubles are felt.
The average winter fuel bill will cost British households £453 - a rise of £57.66.

Quarterly bills are due to arrive this weekend, telling households that they owe £315 for gas and £138 for electricity.

The cold weather added £34.43 to our bills while another £23.34 was added to take into account the increase in energy costs, caused in part by unrest in the Middle East.

Increase: The cold winter and trouble in the Middle East are being blamed for the rise in energy prices

Across the country £12.24billion will be spent on energy across the country as the six main suppliers put up their charges by an average 5.9 per cent.
Mark Todd, director of Energyhelpline.com, said bills were set to rise by another 15 per cent this month as the problems in the Middle East continue to hit prices.
He said: 'This is the latest grim chapter in the unfolding story of austerity Britain for the nation's 27 million households.

'Millions of customers who pay their energy bills every quarter have finally received the news they have been dreading - a demand for £453.

 

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'A combination of cold weather and rising average energy prices has led to a 15 per cent hike in bills for January to March which will put even more pressure on shrinking household budgets.
'This will be a huge headache for people who are struggling to balance the books against a seemingly relentless tide of price rises and falling household income.
'Consumers are being hit left, right and centre as they try to keep their heads above water and this collective £12.24 billion winter fuel bill will just add to the nation's woes.'
His comments were echoed by Ann Robinson, director of consumer policy at price comparison website uSwitch.
'It is going to come as quite a big shock,' she told the us 'It is a very, very big increase and it will take people by surprise.'