A pensioner was forced to move in with his son in Buckinghamshire after struggling with his energy bills.

The over 65s are being hit harder by the record high energy prices than younger generations because of their inefficient homes.

A new report has found the over 65s pay £611 more per year on average for their energy bills compared to under 30s, based on the government’s current Energy Price Guarantee level of £2,500.

This would rise to £713 per year if the Government goes ahead with its planned increase in the Energy Price Guarantee to £3,000 from April.

The report by Kingfisher and Centre for Economics and Business Research also found 62 per cent of over 65s - as many as 7.75m - live in inefficient properties (EPC ‘D’ or below), compared to 48 per cent of under 30s.

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Over 65s are more likely to pay higher bills due to living in older properties than younger generations, which are usually less energy efficient than newer builds.

They are also more likely to live in detached houses, which can be less energy efficient than flats or terraced houses.

Pensioner Rory Maclaine, 75, felt living expenses were getting on top of him and jumped at the chance to move in with younger family in Chesham from his two-bedroom house in Brighton.

Living in the house by himself was getting “a little too much”, he said.

He said: “Around September of last year, my son and his partner were looking for someone to move in with them.

“When my son offered I was struggling - one person paying bills, council tax, parking and all the rest of it is quite a lot, and I was often away anyway.

“The energy bills now are extortionate, as we know they’ve got worse and worse and I was a little scared. I only have a state pension, and I didn’t want to keep working too much.

“I was playing Father Christmas last year and I thought ‘Oh god am I still having to work at the age of 75'?”

Rory admits he’s in a lucky position, but also says it’s not the way he considered his life going when he was younger.

He added: “I never thought this would happen. I did think about downsizing into a one-bedroom flat but I didn’t want to pay so many bills.

“As I’m getting older it seemed such a good idea, and not only am I helping them and covering the family’s food budget, I’m able to give some of the money from selling the house away. It’s a win-win.”

Ofgem regulates the prices energy companies are able to charge consumers for each kilowatt hour (kWh) they use, with the government subsiding the cost for households via the Guarantee - this limits the maximum energy price, but not the maximum bill for consumers.