After the recent round of inflation busting price rises, new Which? research reveals that consumer trust in the energy industry has plummeted to a new low, while record numbers of people say they are very worried about rising energy prices.

The latest findings from the Which? Consumer Insight Tracker shows that consumer trust in the energy industry has fallen to its lowest level since the Tracker launched in July 2012. Only one in seven consumers (15%) say they trust energy companies to act in their best interest, down from one in four (27%) before the price rises. Six in ten (59%) say they lack trust in energy companies, making energy the most distrusted of all consumer industry sectors, lower than banking (33%), car salesmen (55%) and train companies (27%).

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It also found that energy is now top of the list of consumer worries and for the first time more than half (51%) say they are very worried about energy prices.Overall eight in ten (84%) consumers are worried about energy prices, the highest this has been since October last year.

Which? executive director Richard Lloyd said: "The number of people worrying about energy prices has rocketed, while trust in the companies has plummeted.

"What we have heard from the Government so far is too little, and too late, for the millions of hard pressed consumers worrying how they will pay for their energy bills this winter. Consumers need to see radical changes now.

"George Osborne should use his Autumn Statement to cut the Big Six down to size by separating the wholesale energy market from domestic supply, and by cutting the cost of Government energy policies to consumers."

(CD/MH)