“British households have had to tighten their belts in
response to the tightest squeeze on living standards in a generation – with
spending on food, transport and leisure activities all falling.
“At the same time the cost of things that families can’t
control, like rent and fuel bills, continue to rise and put ever more pressure
on household budgets.
“Energy companies know that families can’t do without
heating, particularly if this winter proves to be as cold as the last two, yet
they keep putting up their prices as living standards come under increasing
pressure.
“That’s why we need urgent action to reform the energy
market and bring bills down. So far, the big six energy companies have been
allowed to get off scot-free by the government.”
The ONS figures show that housing (rent costs less housing
benefit and other subsidies), fuel and power became the highest area of
household spending in 2012 at £68 per week (£23.20 of which went on fuel
bills), overtaking transport (£64.10), which was previously the largest single
cost to households. Spending on housing, fuel and power increased by eight per
cent between 2006 and 2012, while most other household spending decreased over
this period.
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