How to get help when your energy bills go up

YOUR CONSUMER RIGHTS CHAMPION

- Martyn James is a leading consumer rights campaigner, TV and radio broadcaster and journalist

Since the conflict in the Middle East began, there's one subject that I am consistently being asked about by readers: energy bills.

It's clear from all the research and data available that millions of people are struggling financially - and for many, the prospect of bills so high that the government has to intervene again is a deep concern.

While I can't predict what the future will hold, if you have a fixed energy bill, you're protected from price rises for the duration of your contract. However, two-thirds of energy users - a whopping 35 million according to regulator Ofgem last year - are on 'standard variable rates'. That means that as the wholesale cost of energy rises, so do your bills.

Ofgem introduced the 'energy price cap' which caps the maximum amount of money we pay for each unit of gas or energy we use at a certain price. The current rate means the average bill is £1,641 per year until 30 June 2026 - when a new, potentially higher cap will be introduced.