Brits who work from home full-time could pay an extra £131 in energy bills this winter, research shows.
The increase follows months of hikes in the cost of gas which has sent bills soaring and put dozens of energy firms out of business .
People who work full time at home over the colder months will need more energy to heat their homes and power lighting and devices.
This extra energy alone will cost this group an additional £131, according to comparison website Energyhelpline.
Unless something changes before February this means the average home worker's yearly bill rises by 18 percent to £868, according to the Daily Mail .
The cost of gas has leapt to a record high for several reasons, from increased demand as economies emerge from lockdowns to limited supplies.
Many Brits are working from home due to government restrictions brought in this month ordering people to leave their offices if possible.
The rules are meant to curb the spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 .
Energyhelpline energy expert Rory Stoves said: "The New Year is always hard as households look to tighten their belts following the Christmas splurge, but this year promises to be even more challenging.
"With millions of customers expected to be working from home in January, energy bills could be even higher still as people turn on their heating and electricity to keep the cold and dark winter weather at bay.
"Inflation is higher than it has been for nearly a decade, petrol prices are at record highs and energy costs are no different."
Last week experts warned that a massive rise in the cost of gas and electricity for customers would hit just as inflation is set to spike – worsening a cost of living crisis.
“It is looking pretty serious for the spring,” she said. “Domestic energy bills are going to go up 45% to 50% we think, in the spring, and that reflects the steep rise in the wholesale price.”
It comes after consultants Cornwall Insight predicted the price cap set by regulator Ofgem could rocket from £1,277 to £1,865 in April, when it is next due to change.
Many energy companies are going out of business due to a combination of rising gas prices and the energy price cap, set by the Ofgem regulator.
This cap limits the amount firms can charge the average customer on their default gas and electricity tariffs - usually variable-rate deals.
But these providers are grappling with the soaring cost of gas - which currently costs five times its normal amount.
Energy firms cannot pass all of that cost on to consumers due to the cap. Since October 1 this has been £1,277 a year for normal energy use.
As a result, many are being forced to stop trading.
