National energy prices are expected to rise again in the new year, according to consultancy Cornwall Insight.
The forecaster, widely renowned for his accurate predictions, said a household using a typical amount of gas and electricity would pay £1,736 a year from January.
This would represent an increase of £17 a year, or 1%, on a current typical annual bill of £1,717, with prices expected to remain high for the rest of the winter.
Energy regulator Ofgem will announce the next official quarterly price cap on Friday, with some charities concerned about how less well-off households and pensioners will fare during the colder months.
The energy cap limits the maximum price that can be charged for each unit of gas and electricity, rather than the total bill.
This means that people living in larger properties will tend to pay more overall due to higher energy consumption, and those living in smaller properties will tend to pay less.
Price caps imposed by energy watchdog Ofgem affect 29 million homes in England, Wales and Scotland. Different rules apply in Northern Ireland.
Dr Craig Lowrey, senior consultant at Cornwall Insight, said although bills will remain “largely unchanged” from October, the news that prices will not fall after the rises seen in the autumn will still be “disappointing” for many.
“What we have seen are prices well above historical norms,” he told the BBC's Today programme.
He added that there “seems to be no sign of a return to pre-energy crisis levels”, referring to the surge in costs seen when the conflict between Russia and Ukraine erupted.
