“Increases that the president and prime minister have spoken about will be limited increases,” Le Maire said, according to French television channel BFM.

The government will also provide aid to households least able to pay their energy bills, he added.

French president Emmanuel Macron said earlier this week that there were “tough months ahead” while his government warned of energy price rises as the war in Ukraine grinds on.

In the coming weeks the French government will have to decide whether to renew price caps on electricity and gas that expire at the end of the year, and whether to maintain a fuel rebate. These two measures have helped keep French inflation lower than many European peers but weigh heavily on public finances.

A government spokesman said last week that France could not hold on to energy price caps to help households forever.

France has committed to capping an increase in regulated electricity costs at 4% until the end of the year.