Havering to be hit hardest by energy crisis

Redbridge residents also spend more on energy than the average Londoner (Credit: Marco Verch)

Havering is the area that will be worst affected by soaring energy costs in London according to new research. 

The borough has the highest energy bills in the capital, with residents paying around £780 a year.  

They spend £164 more than the London average and £360 more than Tower Hamlets which has the cheapest energy bills. 

Earlier this month, Ofgem announced the energy price cap would increase by 54 per cent from the beginning of April.

Heating experts Boiler Central used data from the Office for National Statistics to examine which London boroughs would be hit hardest by the rise. 

It shows Redbridge also has some of the most expensive energy bills in London at £731 a year. Tower Hamlets and Newham have the lowest bills on average at £423 and £458 respectively. 

Myles Robinson, a spokesperson for Boiler Central, commented on the findings: “With energy bills already sky-high and soaring by a further £600 in Spring, the stark energy costs divide across London – where households with the highest bills pay over £250 more than those with the cheapest bills – will concern many households who are already struggling to make ends meet.

“Unless something substantial is done about unmanageable household bills, we will see many more families pushed into poverty this year.

“Although the government is introducing an ‘Energy Bills Rebate’ to assuage rising energy costs, where energy customers will have £200 knocked off their bills, this functions as more of a ‘loan’ or a ‘buy now pay later scheme’, according to Many Saving Expert Martin Lewis, who points out that families will have to pay back the loan in equal installments of £40 a year.

“Some energy suppliers offer hardship funds, where you can get up to £750 off your energy bills if you are living in fuel poverty, so if you are struggling, it’s worth checking if your supplier offers this.”

The MP for Dagenham and Rainham, Jon Cruddas, has previously criticised the government’s plan for dealing with energy crisis. 

“The plan is to lend the big energy companies money in order to bring costs for consumers down this year – with the hope that prices will fall in the future,” said Cruddas. 

“If prices don’t fall in the future like they hope this will come back to bite working people harder than ever. It’s an unnecessary and irresponsible gamble.”

Cruddas condemned companies like Shell who made £20 billion in profits in 2021/22 but will not have to put a penny extra towards protecting consumers. 

“The Labour Party put forward a fully costed alternative which would start with a one-off windfall tax on North Sea oil and gas profits saving households £200 on their bills, with extra targeted support of £400 to those that need it most,” he added.

“This would also include the removal of VAT on domestic energy bills for one year from April 2022 to save households a further £89 on average.”

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