The study reveals that ongoing pricing trends coupled with investment in infrastructure and the cost of cutting carbon and boosting energy efficiency could see the current average bill of £1,243 a year quadruple to £4,733.

According to the research, gas and electricity bills have more than doubled in the last five years, which demonstrates how bills could easily quadruple in 10 years.

Commenting, Ann Robinson, director of consumer policy at uSwitch.com said: “This is a wake-up call for us all. The £5,000 a year energy bill may seem like an outside possibility, but we have to remember that energy bills doubled in the last five years alone and that the huge investment needed just to keep the lights on in Britain will alone add £548 a year onto our bills. “

Energy efficiency has now come to the forefront, Mrs Robinson adds: “My advice to consumers is to invest in making your home more energy efficient, reduce the amount of energy you use and make sure you are paying the lowest possible price for it.

“Big projects such as a new energy efficient boiler or home installation can be expensive, but the savings you make through cutting the price of your energy could be re-invested into energy efficiency measures so that you reap even greater rewards in the future,” she added.

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