Keir Starmer has been urged to help households cope with rising energy bills, which have increased by £149 a year.

The Resolution Foundation found that 7.7 million households are likely to struggle to heat their homes this winter as the energy price cap rises by 10% to £1,717 from October to December.

The higher bills come as wholesale energy costs increase, exacerbated by the energy crisis and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Critics have also targeted the government for cutting winter fuel payments except for the poorest pensioners.

The Resolution Foundation called for better-targeted support, pointing out that working-age families are more likely to experience 'fuel stress.'