Nine million households have been urged to send meter readings to their energy supplier as prices rise again - with a further 3% increase forecast for April. The average energy bill for households across England, Scotland and Wales is to increase by 1.2% from Wednesday after Ofgem raised its price cap in response to wholesale prices. It also comes as analysts Cornwall Insight revised up their previous forecast of a further 1% increase to the price cap in April, now suggesting households will face an almost 3% hike.