Will bills continue to rise and what does it mean for Labour?

‘Awful April’ will see a flood of bill increases for hard-pressed Britons. Composite: Guardian Design/Getty Images

The painful jump in household bills from Tuesday will push the UK’s poorest households further into poverty. The increase will also provide a further jolt to Labour ministers still reeling from a spring statement that prompted finger-jabbing accusations that their policies are Tory-lite.

The “squeezed middle”, put in the spotlight by energy secretary Ed Miliband when he was Labour leader, will also find that a recovery from the post-pandemic inflation shock has juddered to a halt.