OAPS PAY PRICE FOR SWITCH TO WIND FARMS

LABOUR was accused of waging a new war on the elderly with its green agenda blamed for soaring energy bills.

- By Martyn Brown and Katie Elliott

Gas and electricity prices will go up by 2% for millions of households under the latest cap revealed by Ofgem. The regulator said the rise would help meet the costs of wind farms.

The Tories blamed the Government's green policies and said it showed the Government was failing to keep its promises to cut bills.

The higher-than-expected increase means a household using a typical amount of energy will pay £1,755 a year, up £35 on the current level.

It will kick in at the start of October, which campaigners say will mean another expensive winter.

Previously Energy Secretary Ed Miliband vowed to slash bills by hundreds of pounds.

His Tory counterpart Claire Coutinho said: "Labour promised to cut bills by £300, but that couldn't be further from the truth." The punishing hike for homes in England, Scotland and Wales comes a year after Rachel Reeves snatched away the winter fuel allowance.

The Chancellor U-turned following a national outcry and a Daily Express campaign.

Dennis Reed, director of the Silver Voices campaign group for over-60s, called for the benefit to be increased.