Families must prepare for another surge in energy bills this winter, the head of the International Energy Agency has said.

Fatih Birol warned that a drop in temperatures and fast recovery in the Chinese economy could drive up gas prices, causing fresh misery for consumers.

He added that governments should push for energy-saving measures and boost renewables to avoid having to intervene to subsidise bills again.

Energy bills are beginning to fall back as the mercury rises following a sharp jump following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

But Mr Birol said he could not rule out another spike in gas prices this winter.

He told the BBC’s Today programme that many European governments made “strategic mistakes”, including being too heavily reliant on Russian energy and being “blindfolded” by short-term commercial decisions.

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