The National Housing Federation (NHF) has warned that 400,000 homes in England are not protected by the energy price cap and will need urgent help.

Houses currently unprotected by the energy price cap are on communal networks and have their heating supplied through a central boiler that reaches all homes in a building, rather than having an individual boiler in their home.

These heat networks usually save residents money as the housing associations can secure cheaper prices, but they are not regulated by Ofgem who set the price caps.

The NHF said a large proportion of people on communal heat networks lived in supported or sheltered housing, a form of social rented home for people on low incomes with support needs.

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Therefore, without a price cap in place they will end up paying the price that their housing association is able to negotiate with an energy company.

Recent contracts were as much as 500% more expensive than the previous year, the NHF claim, which could prove to be too expensive for many living in these homes.

NHF chief executive Kate Henderson said: “It is unjust that hundreds of thousands of people, through no fault of their own, are exposed to uncapped heating bills just because of the way they pay for their energy.

“Worse still, the majority of those affected are vulnerable people on the lowest incomes in this country, who will already be struggling to pay for food and essentials.

“The Government has a duty to act urgently and fairly to protect these people in the same way as the rest of the country. With the price cap coming into force in October, it is essential that the Government acts now and negotiates with energy companies to ensure every resident is protected from rising energy bills.”