Families across the UK have been left feeling "trapped" by the cost of living crisis after Ofgem finally confirmed its new energy price cap.
The energy price cap will rocket to £3,549 on October 1 for households on default tariffs who pay by direct debit.
This marks an eye-watering 80% increase from the current figure of £1,971.
Prepayment meter customers will see a bigger jump from £2,017 to £3,608, and standard credit customers are set to see bills rise from £2,100 to £3,764.
NHS worker Emma Blake, 38, has already been told her energy bills are rising to £800 a month - and now doesn’t know how she’ll afford to get through this winter.
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Half my wages spent on £800-a-month bill
Emma, who lives in Cheshire with her partner Marc, 32, and daughter Serena, six, told The Mirror: “I have been paying £300 a month since my energy was taken over by Shell Energy in April.
“This month, they said my monthly bill was rising to £800 a month. I am an NHS worker and £800 is over half my wage.
“I am terrified for the increase in October. I feel trapped and at a loss what to do. I feel totally let down by the Government.”
Forced to choose between eating and heating
Single parent Carly Newman also thinks the massive hike in the energy price cap will push many struggling families over the edge.
The 36-year-old, who lives with her three-year-old son Ezra in south London, says she hopes more people will get angry about the assault on their bank accounts.
“It definitely wasn’t what I was hoping for. It doesn’t really feel like a cap at all. It feels like a massive con.
“I don’t even know why they’re calling it a cap. It’s just a way for them to charge us even more money that many people can’t afford, so they can make even bigger profits.
“Putting up people’s bills by 80%, millions of people just won’t be able to afford that. What’s going to happen when the cold sets in?
“People are already having to choose between heating and eating.”
I can't keep up with the payments
Kelly Green, 45, from Pontypridd in South Wales, lives with the relapsing form of Multiple Sclerosis and has two children.
She claims Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment and is already in debt to her energy company.
“I can’t keep up with the payments. We’re in so much debt," she said.
“The bill is £240 a month and I’m so behind on payments, I already owe £1,600 – I just don’t know how we’ll cope when it goes up even more.
“I have to choose between feeding my kids and feeding myself. I often eat just one meal a day so that I can afford to give my kids three meals.
"Some weeks we haven’t had enough money for food and have had to use food banks.
“I feel so guilty because I’m not able to buy the kids anything or take them anywhere, it’s so depressing.”
Living off tins of soup and sandwiches
Maureen Young, 80, lives alone in a council house in Cambridge, and says she lives off tins of soup and sandwiches.
Before retiring she worked as a telephone receptionist and did needlework.
"To be quite frank the cost of living means I'm eating sandwiches and tins of soup,” she said.
“I've got a streetlight outside and I've got Venetian blinds so that helps save money, as I can see without having to put the lights on.
"When it gets very cold I'll be in the library, or on the buses to try to stay warm. I go to bed every night at 6.30pm or 7.30pm rather than have the heat on.
"To save money I put water in the kettle for two mugs and only boil it once. I also have all my sockets and fan cooker turned off until I need them."
Maureen normally pays £40 a month to Shell Energy for gas and electricity, and is currently £253.45 in credit - but is worried about the imminent rise to her bills.
"They want to put my bills up by another £40 a month, and I said the most I can give you is £20 extra.”
