Household spending on housing, fuel and power has overtaken transport for the first time, official figures showed yesterday.

Households spent an average of £68 a week last year on the category, which includes rent, fuel, electricity and maintenance but excludes mortgages, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.

It sucked in the highest proportion of household spending - a rise driven by enormous gas and electric price rises.

The cold winters of 2011 and 2012 also pushed up spending on heating.

And the proportion of households renting has also risen in recent years from 29 to 34 per cent.

The latest family spending data shows that households spent an average of £489 a week in 2012.

Accounting for inflation spending has decreased since 2006, when households spent £526.40.

Of that, transport spending has fallen the most - dropping from £87.10 per week in 2001-2 to £64.10 in 2012 - despite the price of petrol increasing substantially.

"Energy companies know that families can't do without heating, yet they keep putting up their prices as living standards come under increasing pressure," TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady said.

"That's why we need urgent action to reform the energy market and bring bills down. So far, the big six energy companies have been allowed to get off scot-free by the government."

Shadow energy secretary Caroline Flint (pictured) said Labour would bring energy companies into line. "This shows why Labour's energy price freeze is needed."