Research by economists at the University of Warwick has found that the average household in Stevenage may see increases in energy bills of £986 per year, even with the existing goverment support in place through the Energy Price Guarantee (EPG).
Without the EPG, average energy bills would increase by as much as £1,705, the research suggests.
"The energy crisis is a broad-based economic shock that can threaten social and economic stability in the UK and it will see households in Stevenage hit hard," a spokesperson for the researchers said.
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"Even households who already consume very little energy – which are typically among the poorest – will be hit hard.
"Households at the 10th percentile of the energy consumption distribution are projected to see an increase in energy bills of £579.
"Households who have such low energy consumption typically live on a household income of less than £15,000 per year. For these households this shock, in the context of broader inflationary pressures, may cause a drastic decline in real standards of living which may threaten social cohesion and social stability."
However, the spokesperson added: "We estimate residents in Stevenage could save at least 27 per cent energy permanently if energy efficiency upgrades were implemented to the building stock," with a focus on insulation and boiler upgrade measures.
These upgrades could also see CO2 emissions reduced by 33,000 tons per year, the research found.
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