Britain's gas storage levels are worryingly low, with less than a week's worth of gas in storage after a cold snap, energy company Centrica said on Friday while the government said there was no need for concern.

Plunging temperatures and high demand for gas-fired power are the main factors behind the low levels - with the operator of the country's largest gas storage site warning there is less than a week of demand available.

Centrica Plc says that the UK’s gas reserves are at “concerningly low” levels as freezing temperatures grip the country, boosting demand for heating.

Britain's biggest gas supplier on Friday said UK storage levels are "concerningly low" owing to high demand caused by freezing weather and after Ukraine ended Russian gas transit to Europe.

Centrica said the UK “has less than a week of gas demand in store” and that Britain’s storage sites are 26 per cent lower than they were at the same time last year, leaving them around half full. Gas supplies have come under strain after a cold snap across the UK and the end of Russian gas pipeline supplies through Ukraine at the end of last month.

The owner of British Gas has said that UK gas stores have fallen to “concerningly low” levels amid freezing cold temperatures and that the UK now has less than a week’s worth of demand for gas in store.