Energy bills have doubled within the last five years, with more than 55,000 households in Bradford living in fuel poverty, it has been revealed.

Bradford and Airedale’s Citizens Advice Bureau has also reported a 30 per cent increase in clients with fuel debt inquiries in the first half of this year, with that figure expected to rise as winter approaches.

Fuel poverty is when a household is spending more than ten per cent of their net income on heating and hot water, but in many cases families are spending up to 30 per cent of their income on energy bills, the Bureau has said.

Alex Bohdanowicz, the Bureau’s specialist team manager, said: “People are telling us that they are very worried about how they will manage this winter.

“Those on low income are regularly paying more than ten per cent of their household income in fuel bills. Our energy advice projects are regularly reporting that worries over high fuel bills is affecting people’s physical and mental health and emotional well-being.

“We have had reports of depression, relationship strains and arguments directly related to their concerns over fuel bills and worries about whether they can afford to turn the heating on.”

Fuel bills have risen from £1,345 a year for the average household from £740 five years ago.

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