Energy bills could go up by £7 a week due to cold snap

Recent price hikes from five of Britain's biggest energy suppliers have added £52 to the average annual household bill.

But just as consumers are coming to terms with this latest blow to their pocket, the current cold snap could make things even worse by adding a further £7 a week to bills according to uSwitch.com, the independent price comparison and switching service.

Tom Lyon, energy expert at uSwitch.com, says: "It costs £3 a day on average to heat a home, but during a severe cold snap this could easily rise by £1 a day. If freezing weather sets in for a month, household could easily see an extra £30 added onto their next energy bill.

"Coupled with recent price hikes this will be a real concern for many. The worry is that many households will try to make ends meet by cutting back on their heating and hot water. But a for a pain free way of saving up to £458 a year they could just switch to a more competitive energy supplier instead.

"Adopting simple energy efficiency measures in is another effective way of reducing household energy bills. Insulating a loft, using energy monitors and turning your thermostat down by just one degree are all good ways to save money. Using less energy and paying the lowest possible price for the energy you do use are the key steps that consumers can take to protect themselves from higher energy bills."