A spike in gas prices on Monday has added close to £500 to the forecasted energy price cap next year – heaping further woe on families who would already struggle to keep the heating on.
Experts now expect that the energy price cap will be set at £6,552 in April, based on Monday’s gas price.
Prices soared as markets opened on Monday after Russia said it would run maintenance on a key gas pipeline that connects the country with Germany.
State gas giant Gazprom said that the Nord Stream 1 pipeline will be shut off entirely for maintenance for three days next week.