Nine million homes face winter with energy debt or no credit before bills are forecast to jump 22% in January

Some 3.4 million households already owe their supplier an estimated £750 million, averaging £220 each. Two-thirds have been chased over the debt, yet only one in eight report being offered a repayment plan. Uswitch found that the proportion of billpayers in credit has dropped to just 55%, down from 64% in 2022. A further 43% say they plan to layer up with extra clothing instead of switching the heating on.

One in 12 households plan to cut their food spending in order to meet their energy bills.

Ofgem's price cap already rose 3.6% to £1,723 for a typical household on October 1.

One in five households in debt simply hope it will 'go down on its own'.