Bolton at Home has been urged to show restraint in raising prices.

The body recently announced sharp rises in heating costs going from £13 to £14 per week to around £70 to £80.

As well as this residents have been told if they reduce their usage the increase could be limited to the £50 to £60 region.

Residents at Bolton at Home who use communal boilers said that they had received letters telling them that their bills could increase from around £13-14 per week to as much as £70 to £80.

Cllr Martin Donaghy said: “Everybody knows that the cost of energy has absolutely soared in the last 12 months.

“It has caused great hardship not only across our borough but across the country.

“Bolton at Home have recently sent letters to their 1,000 odd tenants who live in sheltered housing.

“People who live in sheltered housing are there for a reason.

Bolton at Home: Tenants warned that energy bills set to soar

“They are vulnerable through a number of reasons, through age, through sickness, through mental health issues, there are a myriad of reasons why they are there.

“But these people now find themselves on the wrong end of the argument, because Bolton at Home is suggesting that instead of paying £14 a week all year the heating charge is increase to between £70 and £80 a week.

“They say if you turn down your heating it could be £50 to £60 a week.

“These are quite hefty and worrying increases.

“We have 1,000 vulnerable people in the borough extremely worried and anxious.”

He called on the Bolton Council administration to pass on deep concerns to the housing body about the increases.

He called for changes to be phased in over a three year period saying this would tenants “breathing space.”

Councillor Toby Hewitt, cabinet member for planning, said he would make this request to Bolton at Home.

He said: “I’m happy to ask Bolton at Home to think long and hard about the issues and the effects they have on residents.

“We are aware that Bolton at Home are undertaking a full consultation with their tenants in sheltered housing regarding how their homes communal areas are heated and the charges that are applied.

“Bolton at Home are seeking to reduce the heating costs as much as they are able and are significantly subsidising charges in this area.

“Many tenants have received increases in their income in fact, to their benefits, or received fuel payments to help with such charges.

“We will of course ask that Bolton at home consider the impact and scale on tenants and it is managed in a proportionate and considerate way.”