Parents in the West fear rocketing winter energy bills

Parents struggling with rising energy bills have said they fear the government's winter energy grant will not be enough to heat their homes.

The energy regulator, Ofgem, has announced that the price for a typical household will rise in October, from £1,971 to £3,549 a year.

The government is giving households £400 towards rising energy bills during winter.

But mother-of-two, Vicky Spragg, from Cheltenham, remains worried.

Families who rely on Universal Credit, like Ms Spragg's, will get up to £650 on top of the £400 government money but are still concerned if it will be enough.

"Will I be able to pay? It just keeps on going up and up," she said.

She is one of many mothers who use the charity Feed Cheltenham that offers a free lunch, as well as play activities for children and advice for families on how to pay their bills.

Ms Spragg said she knew some help was coming from the government, but her bills were going up faster than the scheme had envisaged.

"It's just a worry, you don't know what to expect," she said.

Customers who fall behind with their monthly bills are placed on prepayment meters, which makes them pay for their energy bills upfront.

If they are still unable to pay, the power is turned off.

Lindsay Power said energy bills were the main topic of conversation at the Feed Cheltenham sessions where she works.

"People are saying they don't know what's happening, where am I going to find the money," she said.

"They're confused over what help is available, when they're getting payments from government schemes, everything."

Ms Power said one mother had to put £50 on her meter to get it started which had left her with no money to buy food.

"It's really hard to hear about parents who are not able to cook children a hot meal. It's just wrong," Ms Power said.

While politicians argue with energy bosses about how to bring soaring prices under control, advice agencies are run off their feet.

The Centre for Sustainable Energy said its advice helpline run from Bristol was "busier than ever".

It offers people on low incomes vouchers for prepayment meters, or advice on how to get on top of their energy debts.

Ian Preston manages the advice service and said: "We're having people call us to ask for prepayment meter vouchers - to tell us that they're on their last £5 of credit.

"This latest price rise is colossal, and we're looking at bills of well over £4,000 next year which is just unsustainable."

A spokesperson from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said: "While no government can control global gas prices, we are providing £37bn of help for households including the £400 discount on energy bills, and £1,200 of direct support for the most vulnerable households to help with the cost of living."

The first instalment of payments to those on benefits began on 14 July.

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