Every household in the country will face a £213 rise in their annual energy bills if the UK is to meet European Union emissions targets, according to an Ernst & Young report, which also warns that half of all Britons are not prepared to pay.

The accountancy firm will today publish a major new report on the impact on energy bills of the UK's climate change commitments, which warns that households will have to pay at least 20 per cent more to gas and electricity suppliers.

The report, Costing the Earth?, puts the cost of capital investment required to meet emissions reduction and renewable energy targets for 2020 at £100bn. Consumers will be required to contribute £5. ... Read full article