Millions ‘face fuel debt’ as inflation rockets

Concerns have been raised that millions of low-income households face the misery of fuel debt as official inflation figures were released.

Gas inflation rose to 49.9 per cent in September – up from 27.7 per cent in August – while electricity prices increased 22.3 per cent over the same period.

Charity Age Concern claimed that pensioners will struggle to keep warm this winter as a result and called on the government to introduce emergency measures to combat the issue.

“With the cost of living sky-rocketing, the government should be taking the real rate of inflation for pensioners into account,” remarked director general George Lishman.

He added that spiralling food and fuel prices hit pensioners harder than other age groups.

The latest figures from the Office of National Statistics showed that consumer prices index annual inflation rose to 5.2 per cent in September after further increases in gas and electricity bills.

By Jamie Price