BBC Newsnight’s editor Ben Chu has revealed that more than 1.5 million households are being forced to switch energy suppliers, saying that “we're all going to have to pay more for our energy in the coming months”. It came after two more energy firms, Avro and Green, became the fourth and fifth companies to go bust in recent weeks due to the sharp rise in gas prices. Over 1.5 million properties are now facing a switch to a new, potentially more expensive firm.

       He continued: “And they will all be transferred to new provider firms by Ofgem, the energy regulator, but there will certainly be many more to come.

       “Analysts are expecting dozens, possibly dozens more of these small suppliers to fail, between now and Christmas.

       “Where does that leave customers? Well, it doesn't mean that their energy is going to be cut off or interrupted it probably does mean that their bills are going to rise, though, although maybe not going through the roof immediately.

       “So if a customer was on a fixed-term contract that might just possibly be honored by the new supplier.”

       “And as you can see that it's going to go up to 1277 pounds a year in October, a big 12% Rise-140 pounds.

       He added: “And when this is next revised again in the spring is expected to go up by hundreds of pounds more.

       “And talking of bills, the government will probably have to pay the new largest suppliers for taking on these new customers.”

       The energy price cap, set by industry regulator Ofgem, helps to control the cost of gas and electricity in the UK.

       The cap limits the unit rate and standing charge that suppliers can bill for their default tariffs.

       In 2021, the cap level has risen twice in the same year for the first time and is now at its highest point ever.