High energy costs are hitting UK; it’s about to get worse

By DANICA KIRKA and SYLVIA HUI
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — People across the United Kingdom will face tough choices in coming months as energy costs for millions of households are set to rise by 54% on Friday. It’s the second big jump in energy bills since October, and a third may be ahead as rebounding demand from the COVID-19 pandemic and now Russia’s war in Ukraine push energy prices higher. Those costs are the main driver of rising consumer prices. While inflation is a worldwide phenomenon, it’s a bigger issue in Britain because it’s more exposed to rising natural gas prices even than its European neighbors.