UK consumer energy bill debt has hit a record £3bn, in a sign of ongoing cost-of-living pressures despite the energy crisis easing.

The figure has climbed from £2.6bn in October, according to figures published this morning by Britain’s energy regulator Ofgem.

Ofgem is now consulting on plans to allow suppliers to recover higher debt costs from all household bills, which would trigger an increase of about £16 on a typical household’s annual bill from April.

Tim Jarvis, Ofgem’s director-general for markets, said suppliers need to be able to “recover their reasonable costs”.

Gillian Cooper, director of energy at Citizens Advice, urged the government to do more to support vulnerable households.