Soaring energy costs are leaving thousands of UK pensioners struggling with steep utility bills, new research reveals.

A study by MoneyExpert.com found that one in four people aged 65 and over is currently finding it difficult to pay their bills; a total of around 2.5 million people.

Government figures suggest that £6 of every £100 spent by people aged 75 and over in the UK went towards paying fuel bills, compared with £4.86 for 65-to-74-year-olds and £3.40 by the average household.

However, the website claims these figures are now much higher, with 14 per cent of consumers aged 25 to 34 also struggling to pay rising fuel bills. The highest concentration of people finding fuel bills hard to pay is in the East Midlands and Anglia (25 per cent).

Sean Gardner, MoneyExpert.com chief executive, commented: "There have been around a dozen fuel price increases since the beginning of this year, and these have hit many homes hard. Those hardest hit are pensioners where already one in five is below the poverty line."

MoneyExpert estimates that the average annual gas and electricity bill is has rocketed by 40 per cent during the past 12 months to £650. Consumer group Energywatch reports that around 85 per cent of consumers are worried about energy prices.

Pensioners eligible to collect Winter Fuel Payments of as much as £300 are being encouraged to apply as soon as possible and consumers are advised to introduce energy saving measures such as double-glazing and insulation where possible.

Visit UK Net Guide and search for companies that offer the cheapest utility bills.