Top 10 most expensive areas for gas and electricity bills in UK
Amount customers pay on bills depends on where they live
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Your support makes all the difference.Millions of people across the UK were hit with the news last week that the average household energy bill will rise to a staggering £3,549 from 1 October.
The increasing cost of gas and electricity is being driven by the rise in wholesale gas prices, worsened by Russia's war in Ukraine.
Households were already reeling from an increase in their bills after the price cap rose in August.
And the worst is yet to come: the price cap will rise again in January and some analysts predict it could peak at more than £6,000 by April.
The government has already announced financial assistance for the cost of living crisis and the two candidates to replace Boris Johnson have pledged to provide more help.
While energy regulator Ofgem sets the price cap, gas and electricity customers across the UK pay varying amounts for their bills depending on where they live.
In England, those living in London pay the most for their gas, shelling out £0.0427 per kWh, resulting in an average bill of £581 per year, according to analysis by price comparison website money.co.uk.
Southern England is the second-most expensive area for gas and the South West is third, with customers there paying £575 and £574 per year respectively.
The North East, Yorkshire and East Midlands were the least expensive.
The amount people pay for their electricity also varies across the UK.
People in Merseyside and North Wales are charged the most for keeping the lights on, according to the analysis by money.co.uk, whose findings were based on data from 2021.
Residents living in those two areas pay, on average, £0.2241 per kWh - an average yearly bill of £807.
The South West and North Scotland were the second most expensive areas for electricity on £796 and £793 respectively.
The least expensive areas were Northern Ireland, the East Midlands and the North West, according to the data.
Experts say that the amount people pay for their gas and electricity depends on a variety of factors - the main one being geography.
According to United Gas & Power, which supplies business, "this is usually because costs to providers also vary according to the area they are operating in."
"Things like the charges your supplier has to pay to use local electricity wires and gas pipes have a knock on influence on your bill," the supplier adds.
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