Consumers 'forced to use savings' to meet energy costs

Large energy bills have forced a number of UK consumers to use some of their savings to pay their bills in recent weeks, it is believed.

Figures published by Which? have shown that 14 per cent of those polled in a recent survey have had to resort to such a measure.

Meanwhile, energy bills are said to be causing concern for 38 per cent of respondents.

The consumer organisation's editor Martyn Hocking believes that people might be able to reduce their energy outgoings by switching to a cheaper provider.

He commented: "There's little choice but to turn the heating up when you're faced with cold weather, so it's inevitable that people are going to worry about their bills."

Meanwhile, homeowners having to get credit in order to pay their energy bills may be interested to note that the Institute for Public Policy Research has recently suggested that ministers should do more to tackle fuel poverty problems.

Posted by Gemma Walker.