Sunday roast cooking cost to hit £56 in April

The cost of cooking a Sunday roast is set to rise to £56 starting April 1. This increase is due to a new price cap on gas and electricity bills. Many households will feel the impact of higher energy costs. The annual energy bill for an average household will increase to £1,849. This is an increase of £111 compared to earlier. However, families on fixed-price deals will not see these changes. The price cap adjusts every three months. For those using a 4KW oven to roast chicken for an hour each Sunday, the yearly cost will be nearly £60. In contrast, using a smaller 2KW oven will cost less because the chicken takes only half an hour to cook. Other kitchen appliances, like dishwashers, will also be more expensive to run. Currently, the cost for one dishwasher cycle is 24.86p per kWh, but this will rise to 27.03p from April 1. This marks the third straight quarter that bills have increased for about 22 million households. Despite the rise, average bills remain much lower than during the peak of the energy crisis in early 2023. The increase in energy prices is mainly attributed to rising gas prices in Europe due to low gas storage. While bills are rising, many households typically use less energy in the spring and summer. Ofgem's chief executive noted that volatility in international gas markets continues to affect prices. According to Cornwall Insights, the typical annual household energy bill is expected to rise by about £85, making it £1,823. However, this amount is still significantly lower than the peak figures from the energy crisis triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Since the last price cap announcement in November, around 4 million customers have switched to fixed tariffs, bringing the total to 11 million. These customers will not be affected by the increase. The next price cap will be announced in May and will take effect from July 1.