Heat network customers face huge increase in bills

More than half a million impacted by fuel price rises

More than 500,000 households on heat networks face ‘huge and unrestricted’ increases in their heating and power bills because they are not protected by the energy price cap, a watchdog has warned.

The Heat Trust says consumers and landlords operating heat networks are already reporting price rises of up to 700% because of the recent spiralling increases in the cost of wholesale gas.

Customers on heat networks are not protected by Ofgem’s energy price cap – the level of which will increase by 54% in April – meaning they are fully exposed to the commercial cost of gas.