Families struggling with the cost of living will not not be able to afford increases in energy bills, a charity in Dorset has warned. A new price cap announced by Ofcom on Tuesday shows domestic energy prices will rise by 6.4% from April, adding £111 a year to household bills - a higher than expected rise.

Skyrocketing wholesale costs, associated with Europe’s turn away from reliance on Russian gas, pushed the energy price cap to its worst level yet – £4,279. It fell to £2,500