SEVEN million homes in Britain will experience dire fuel poverty without a further £14 billion package of emergency support, a new report has revealed.

The governments measures are coming up short despite the energy bill price cap and £400 support package, according to End Fuel Poverty Coalition calculations.

More help will be needed to prevent the severe health impacts of living in cold, damp homes, which will cripple the NHS and cause excess winter deaths, the group said yesterday.

The coalition calculates that the price of a unit of gas has increased by between 153 per cent and 165 per cent since winter 2021, while the unit cost of electricity has increased 63-68 per cent.

Its “Warm This Winter” campaign is calling for additional financial and non-financial support for households, including a third cost of living payment of £325 for those on income-linked benefits, to be paid on December 1.

Coalition co-ordinator Simon Francis said: “In addition to supporting households now, government policy has created a cliff edge in April 2023, with the Energy Bills Support Scheme and additional Cost of Living Payments due to end.

“This will result in the number of households in fuel poverty rising to almost eight million.

“The situation will be made worse if benefits are not uprated by inflation and if prescription charges increase.

“Therefore, the government must also set out a medium-term plan for financial support while we wait for longer-term measures to take effect.”

The coalition is also asking for a further £150 uplift in disability benefits, restoration of the £20 universal credit uplift, increasing energy bill support payments and ensuring that all households who received the Warm Homes Discount last winter can access a £150 rebate this winter.

Uplift director Tessa Khan said: “On top of everything else, this government's plan to fix the UK’s energy system is also in disarray. We need a government prepared to tackle the crisis at its root, which means moving the UK off volatile fossil fuels with a national insulation programme to cut waste, and a massive acceleration in renewable energy, which is now nine times cheaper than gas. This is the only way to permanently lower energy bills.

“The government needs to stop adding to our problems and fix the ones on their desk.

“This must begin today with providing more targeted help for those who are going to be hit hardest.”

It comes as the UN special rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, Olivier De Schutter, warned that governments across the world must increase benefits and wages in line with inflation or “lives will be lost.”

The government has refused to raise benefits in line with inflation, saying it will instead match wages in a move that has angered campaigners and unions.

A Department for Work and Pensions spokesman said: “We are committed to looking after the most vulnerable which is why we’ve delivered at least £1,200 of support to families this winter while also saving households an average of £1,000 a year through our Energy Price Guarantee.

“This support is on top of the annual working-age benefits bill which is over £87bn.”