Poor households paying up to £541 more a year for goods and services

A social tariff for low income customers struggling with high energy bills would one way for the government to tackle the cost of living crisis. Photograph: Andrew Matthews/PA

Low-income families in the UK’s poorest neighbourhoods are paying up to £541 a year more than affluent households to access the same basic services such as energy and insurance, and buy essential items such as TVs and fridges, a study claims.

The Fair by Design charity has called for the government and regulators to outlaw practices it says discriminate against the poorest families, costing them hundreds of pounds a year because of where they live, how much they earn, or how they are paid.