- Price rise will add £76 a year to average annual dual fuel bill for households
- But customers could save more than £300 by simply switching to cheap tariff
- Move by British Gas mirrors rises in tariffs announced by other ‘big six’ providers
- Consumer groups say wholesale cost of both electricity and gas has been falling
Families are being warned to switch away from British Gas as it imposes a 12.5 per cent hike in electricity tariffs today.
The move by the energy giant will add £76 a year to the average annual dual fuel bill for more than three million households.
However, energy industry experts say these customers could save more than £300 by simply switching to a cheap tariff from a rival firm.
British Gas says the rise has been driven by various tariffs and charges added to bills, including those to subsidise a shift to green energy such as wind farms, on the orders of the Government
The move by British Gas mirrors increases in tariffs announced by other major suppliers in the so-called ‘big six’ – SSE, Npower, EDF, Eon and Scottish Power – earlier this year.
The increases have been condemned by consumer groups who say the wholesale cost of both electricity and gas has been falling.
However, British Gas and the others say the increases have been driven by various tariffs and charges added to bills, including those to subsidise a shift to green energy such as wind farms, on the orders of the Government.
Any increase in bills is an embarrassment for the Prime Minister, who made a pledge to end rip-offs and cut the cost of heat and light central to her General Election manifesto.
Any increase in bills is an embarrassment for Prime Minister Theresa May, who made a pledge to end rip-offs and cut the cost of heat and light central to her General Election manifesto
Joe Malinowski, founder price comparison website TheEnergyShop.com, said: ‘Three million British Gas customers will see their electricity bills hiked by £76 this week, just as the nights get colder and energy usage kicks in.
‘Many customers will feel angry over these increases. Unfortunately anger will not get your energy bills down any time soon. Our message is simple – don’t get mad – get even.
‘It takes just five minutes to switch energy supplier and the average household on an expensive standard tariff can easily save over £300 a year.
‘If your energy supplier is not looking after you, then it is time you started looking after yourself.’