Older people are being forced to cut down on their energy usage as they face soaring fuel bills, a report has warned.

Pensioners have seen their gas bills jump by 55% in the two years to April 2007, while electricity bills have risen by 36%, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies.

As a result the amount of money older households spend on fuel has increased by about 22% during the same period, despite them cutting down their consumption by 10%.

Age Concern and Help the Aged, which commissioned the report, warned that further price rises seen during 2008 would have increased the pressure on older people, forcing many of them to turn down the heating or cut spending in other areas in order to afford their energy bills.

The group said some pensioners were even resorting to staying in bed in a bid to reduce the amount they spent on heating.

The research also uncovered very different lifestyles being led by the poorest and richest pensioners.

In 2007 the poorest fifth of pensioners spent nearly 40% of their budget after housing costs on food and fuel, while the richest fifth spent just under 20% of their income on these things.

Meanwhile, older people are continuing to help out younger family members, with cash payments and presents to family and friends the 10th largest area of expenditure for the over 80s.

Andrew Harrop, head of public policy at Age Concern and Help the Aged, said: “What's most clear from this important new research is the significant differences in living standards between older people at different ends of the income scale.

“Shockingly, the report finds that while poorer pensioners are spending more of their available income on energy, they are — at the same time — reducing the amount of energy they buy.”

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