Energy bills are an increasing concern

More and more people in the UK are becoming concerned about their ability to meet rising energy costs.

A poll by uSwitch.com to mark Big Energy Week has revealed that after several years of slowly rising bills, the price the average person pays for energy rose by £224 last year.

This is an increase of around 21 per cent and takes the average household bill to £1,293 a year.

At the same time, calls to uSwitch.com's customer contact team rose by a third compared to the same time last year, showing that people are genuinely concerned about the soaring cost of bills.

Figures also revealed that the number one inquiry was to voice fears over the impact of higher bills, while the second most common reason is to ask for help following a bad experience with an energy provider.

Older people do not go online to seek help with their bill, representing just ten per cent of internet-based queries, but would rather pick up the phone, with 75 per cent of calls coming from those aged over 60.

"I think many of those who haven't considered it previously will be shocked to know that they can save up to a third off their energy bill just by moving to a competitive plan," said Ann Robinson, director of consumer policy at uSwitch.com.

"If this is supplemented by simple energy efficiency measures, such as turning TVs off standby, and by information on getting free insulation in your home, 2012 could see a lot more people feeling slightly happier about their energy bills."

Last month, Age UK urged MPs to do more to tackle the rising problem of fuel poverty.

It said that one of the major issues is the number of elderly people living in poorly insulated homes, which leads to much higher heating bills.

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2012-01-18 13:00:00 © Moneyextra.com