Britain is expected to pay some of Europe's highest energy costs this winter as reliance on gas imports deepens

Households face an extra 10p a month on gas bills after Ofgem approved a deal with Belgian pipeline owner Interconnector Limited to halt a cut in import capacity. The regulator warned that without it Britain could run out of gas on a 1-in-20 cold day. Imported LNG now costs three times its pre-Middle East crisis price. Tory energy spokesman Andrew Bowie called the solution 'utterly outrageous'.

Britain still imports almost 60% of its gas while North Sea output falls 5%.

NESO insists the lights will stay on but warns of 'tight days' in December or January.

An independent probe found NESO engineers had 'high levels of stress and concern'.