15% price hike for British Gas customers

Posted on 18 January 2008

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British Gas has become the latest energy supplier to announce significant price rises, with customers for both gas and electricity facing an immediate 15% increase in bills.

The move follows rises from both EDF and Npower in recent days. Earlier this week, the official energy regulator Ofgem said it had no plans to act to curb rising energy bills.

According to consumer watchdog Energywatch, since 2003 British Gas customers will have seen their bills go up by 76.7% for gas (from an average of £370 to £653) and by 74.3% for electricity (from £237 to £413).

British Gas said that rising wholesale prices and the "costs of delivering a cleaner environment" had forced them to increase prices.

Chief executive of Energywatch Allan Asher said that the market was obviously not delivering good value to customers: "Energy price rises are coming in thick and fast and like every other consumer I'm sick and tired of hearing energy companies try to justify the latest bout of pain they are inflicting on their customers," he said.

Anne Robinson of uSwitch added: "Last year, British Gas spent £53 million on advertising, convincing consumers that it had turned over a new leaf. Now it is getting back to what it does best – shoddy service, high prices and poor value for money."

Category: House and home, Regulation

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