ENERGY bills are still 52 per cent higher than before the cost-of-living crisis, campaigners warned yesterday despite Ofgem confirming a price cap cut.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham warned “nobody has any faith left” in the regulator, which “allows multinational companies to extract obscene profits from our energy system.”

Ofgem has confirmed that energy bills will fall by 7 per cent from July 1, seeing average bills drop by £129 to £1,720 a year.

This is £660 (28 per cent) lower than at the height of the energy crisis at the start of 2023 when the government implemented the energy price guarantee.

But prices remain elevated with the upcoming level still £152 (10 per cent) higher than during the same period last year.

Citizens Advice chief executive Clare Moriarty said: “This drop in energy prices will ease the burden of high bills for some households.

“But the government must not lose perspective: bills will still be 52 per cent higher than before the energy crisis and nearly seven million people live in households that have fallen behind on bills.

“Today’s announcement will be cold comfort to the millions paying off a mountain of debt on top of their monthly costs.

“The government... must provide more targeted energy bill support to those hardest hit, and upgrade five million homes with money-saving energy efficiency measures.”

End Fuel Poverty Coalition co-ordinator Simon Francis said: “While bills may fall slightly in July, they’re still significantly higher than before the energy crisis and remain tied to the unpredictable cost of fossil fuels.

“Without urgent reform and real investment, millions will continue to face unaffordable bills and cold homes.”

Ms Graham said that while Ofgem has lowered its cap, energy bills were still “sky high” and the regulator had lost public confidence.

“We urgently need to reverse the market madness and address the real causes of the lingering energy crisis,” she stressed.

Ofgem’s director-general of markets Tim Jarvis said the regulator is “acutely aware that prices remain high, and some continue to struggle with the cost of energy.”

He added: “We need an energy system where prices are insulated from the volatile international gas market, and which ensures more stable prices and energy security.”