Energy bills to rise by more than expected in April

Domestic energy prices will rise by 6.4% in April, under regulator Ofgem's new cap - a higher than expected increase adding pressure on people's finances.

It means a household using a typical amount of gas and electricity will see their annual bill rise by £111 a year, or £9.25 a month, taking the total bill to £1,849 a year.

The cap, which puts a limit on the amount suppliers can charge for each unit of energy, affects the bills of 26 million homes in England, Wales and Scotland.

Rising wholesale costs are behind the latest price hike, the third consecutive increase in the quarterly cap.