Britons 'struggling with energy bills'

Article date : 23/09/2009

Written by Tony Harrison

Some 12 million UK households are struggling to meet their monthly energy bills as the recession rumbles on, new research has found.

According to Bright Grey, 39 per cent of respondents claimed that if they had to find an additional £50 each month to meet their bills they would struggle, with such essential bills now accounting for 65 per cent of a household's income.

However, 11 per cent stated they would be able to cope with any increase in utility bills, the Reality Gap Report by Opinium Research revealed.

Each month, the average Briton spends £1,378 on essential outgoings.

Roger Edwards, proposition director at Bright Grey, said: "The frightening truth is that many Brits are already struggling to afford their monthly bills - and all it would take is a small increase in bills or drop in income for people to find themselves in trouble."

However, investing in appliances such as condensing boilers or heating controls could see households reducing their bills by as much as a third, the Energy Saving Trust has said.

ADNFCR-1600-ID-19377349-ADNFCR