Octopus Energy is giving out the blankets, which sell for £40 on Amazon, to thousands of its customers for free in a bid to soften the blow of soaring energy bills in the wake of the price cap increase.
Utilita founder Bill Bullen, who last year urged consumers to put a jumper on over the winter, admitted people will die because people won t be able to afford to put the heating on.
A record rise in energy bills that starts today kicks off a year of economic pain for millions. The energy price cap will jump £693 to £1,971 with forecasts suggesting it will go up by a further £788 in October.
Around 22million homes saw a 54 per cent increase yesterday in energy bills, as experts predict an average home will cost a massive £400 to heat and power in January 2023.