Keir Starmer hears of residents 'going cold' in their homes on visit to Dewsbury

Joyce Hays, 78, said the freezing temperatures and snow on Thursday meant she was forced to turn her heating on for the first time in three weeks.

But she said that she had previously been relying on constantly wearing a dressing gown in her home to keep warm as a result of rapidly-rising energy prices.

"It is horrendous. Yesterday was the first time I have put the central heating on for three weeks," she told the Labour leader as he visited Yorkshire to discuss cost-of-living issues with people in Dewsbury on the day that energy bills and council tax rise for millions - with National Insurance increasing for workers later this month.

"It was so cold yesterday I had to put it on."

Sir Keir asked her: "So you are basically going cold in your own home?"

Ms Hays, who lives on the outskirts of Dewsbury, replied: "Yeah. My mobility is not very good so I can't keep warm by moving around. If I go and wash up, I have to go and sit down. If I take the washing out, I have to go and sit down. Going back into a cold house is not good.

"I have got a thick fleecy dressing gown which I wear just about every day."

Sir Keir was meeting members of the public and staff at the Thrive at Connect meeting venue and event space in Dewsbury, which is run by social housing provider Connect Housing.

One man told him that his energy bill was doubling by £2,000 per year.

"If that was the only challenge, that would be a struggle but on top of that when fuel prices are going up and when you go to the supermarket, every day prices are going up.

"You have to pick things up and put them back down again because you can't afford them. Forget the luxuries, it is basics that people are worrying about now."

Fiona Welburn, an economic inclusion manager for Connect Housing's Money Matters service, said there has been an increase in worried residents asking for support from the organisation's emergency fund to help pay their energy bills - even before this month's price cap rise kicks in.

She said switching providers is no longer an easy option for saving bills due to rising prices across the board.

"Before all this we could advise people to look at switching suppliers but that is no longer an option."

She said she was highly worried about the mental health impacts that will be suffered in the coming months as people increasingly struggle to pay their bills.

Speaking after the discussion, Sir Keir said the account from Ms Hays showed "the very real human impact of the energy price hike".

"The Government's response is pathetic, they are doing nothing about it.

"Labour says oil and gas companies in the North Sea have made more money than they are expecting because of high global prices - the fair thing to do is to have a windfall tax on that and reduce the bills of those most in need by about £600."

Bills are increasing by an average 54 per cent for 22 million households from today, adding £693 to the annual costs of a typical household.

Labour has proposed a 10 percentage point "windfall tax" on North Sea oil and gas producers which they say could raise at least £1.2bn and help cover the costs of removing VAT on domestic energy bills and expanding the Warm Homes Discount Scheme.

Speaking in Parliament in February, Boris Johnson described Labour's plans as "totally ridiculous".

He said at the time: “This is a global problem, caused by the spike in gas prices, but what Labour would do is clobber the oil and gas companies right now with a tax that would deter investment in gas, just when this country needs gas as we transition to green fuel.

"It would be totally ridiculous, and it would raise prices for consumers.”