HOUSEHOLDS in the Cumberland Council area will pay four tenths more to heat their homes than they did before the energy crisis, new figures show.

It comes as the energy price cap rose by 10 per cent on October 1. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said Ofgem's raising of the cap is "deeply worrying" for many people, and the only solution to lowering bills is Labour's "mission for clean, homegrown power".

Department for Energy Security and Net Zero data shows the average household in the Cumberland Council area used 2,430 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity and 9,770 kWh of gas to fuel their homes in 2022.

One kWh would run an average oven for around 30 minutes, while the median has been used to exclude extreme values which could skew the average.

Based on the new energy price cap costs introduced on October 1, a Cumberland Council area household will pay around £1,543 per year on energy.

This is down from approximately £1,625 based on the energy price cap set in October 2023, but is roughly 42 per cent higher than what a household would expect to pay based on the energy price cap in October 2021, before the cost-of-living crisis.

The price rise comes as Labour will remove the winter fuel allowance for around 10 million pensioners this year.

The Conservatives and Green Party have called on the Government to make a U-turn and provide payments for all pensioners this winter.

Shadow energy secretary Claire Coutinho accused Labour of not being honest about its plans, adding: "Instead of prioritising cheap energy, the new Labour Government are pursuing Ed Miliband's reckless net zero targets with no thoughts to the costs.

"And far from their promise of saving families £300 off their energy bills, one of their first acts in office is to remove the winter fuel payment from 10 million pensioners this winter."

Mr Miliband said the price cap rise was due to the "failed energy policy" his Government inherited, which he claims has left the country "at the mercy of international gas markets controlled by dictators".

"We will also do everything in our power to protect billpayers, including by reforming the regulator to make it a strong consumer champion, working to make standing charges fairer, and a proper Warm Homes Plan to save families money," said Mr Miliband.

Andy Manning, head of energy policy at Citizens Advice, said: "With record levels of energy debt, the removal of previous support and changes to the eligibility of the winter fuel payment, people are in desperate need.

"The Government must urgently introduce a targeted bill support that reflects the realities of people’s energy needs."

Simon Francis, co-ordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, welcomed the Government's commitment to improving home efficiency and energy security to stabilise price changes, but admitted they will take time and will not support those in need this winter.