The Warm Home Discount scheme could be expanded under a new proposal in response to the news that Ofgem's energy price cap will rise higher than expected in April.

Energy bills for the average households are set to rise by 6.4 per cent from £1,738 to £1,849, the UK's industry regulator has confirmed.

In response to this, the Government has suggested almost three million more households, including almost one million households with children, would get support to pay their gas and electricity bills next winter.

Labour ministers are consulting on proposals to offer more support to consumers across the country, with the cost of living crisis set to continue for the foreseeable future.

Notably, the Government is exploring the expansion of the Warm Home Discount, which gives eligible families £150 off their energy bills.

The Warm Home Discount could be expanded under a new proposal

If approved, this would bring around 2.7 million households into the scheme with the total number of households claiming the discount jumping to 6.1 million by next winter.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: "This Government is determined to do everything we can to protect people from the grip of fossil fuel markets.

"Expanding the Warm Home Discount can help protect millions of families from rising energy bills, offering support to consumers across the country. This is a Government that will always stand up for working people.

"Alongside this, the way to deliver energy security and bring down bills for good is to deliver our mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower- with homegrown clean power that we in Britain control."

Britons have struggled with energy bills in recent years GETTY