Consumers in Essex were compensated an average of £146 per person, but Thurrock was the lowest constituency area in the county claiming on average only £108 per person.

Consumers from Thurrock also claimed less money in total than in any other constituency area, taking £12,568.

Across Essex, consumers were compensated as much as £300,000 last year.

However, Thurrock did not have the least amount of complaints. Residents in Thurrock successfully complained about poor service 116 times - which was the eighth highest at of 18 council areas.

Lewis Shand Smith, Chief Ombudsman at Ombudsman Services, said: “It’s important that residents in Essex know their consumer rights and don’t put up with bad service.

"Complaining should be an easy, hassle-free experience – if you’re still in a dispute with an energy or communications company after eight weeks, Ombudsman Services can look into the case for free and provide a resolution – it could be worth your while.”

The highest number of complaints came from the other end of the county, Saffron Walden, where 152 were made.

However, the most earnings from complaints came from Southend West where residents accumulated £22,797 from 119 complaints.

South Basildon and East Thurrock also had a relatively low outcome, with £13,166 compensated from 93 complaints - which averaged £142 per person.