Gas & Electricity

Britain’s fifth largest energy supplier, EDF Energy, has announced that it is putting up prices from this Friday, 18th January, 2008.

Scott Byrom, utilities manager at price comparison site moneysupermarket.com, said: "These price rises from EDF Energy will be felt worst in London and the South East, as well as the South West.

EDF has become the second supplier to raise prices on its standard energy tariffs. Prices will increase by 12.9 percent for gas and 7.9 percent for electricity from Friday.

In response to the soaring cost of wholesale energy, higher distribution costs and increased environmental obligations, EDF Energy has announced an increase in its gas and electricity prices effective from Friday 18 January 2008.

As rising energy prices squeeze household budgets and swell the numbers who can’t afford to keep their home warm, campaign groups today urge the government to introduce a clause in this week’s Energy Bill paving the way for low-cost energy for vulnerable households.

Household budgets across the country are being squeezed to breaking point with millions of bills going unpaid in the past six months alone, according to new research by MoneyExpert.com.

Npower's Standard customers in the Northern England region will now pay close to £100 more than their Scottish counterparts, according to moneysupermarket.com.

Britain’s fourth largest energy supplier, npower, has announced that it is putting up prices from tomorrow, 5th January, 2008. The increases – an average of 17.2% or £92 for gas and 12.7% or £48 for electricity – will hit its standard tariffs, affecting almost 4.9 million customer accounts.

npower has become the first supplier to raise prices on its standard energy tariffs. Prices will increase by 17.2 percent for gas and 12.7 percent for electricity.

Paul Schofield, head of utilities at price comparison site moneysupermarket.com, said: "The great majority of npower’s customers will be hit by this hefty price hike. It is only those select few on non-Standard tariffs who will see prices unchanged.

npower has announced new energy prices for domestic customers, with an average increase of 12.7% for electricity and 17.2% for gas from 5 January.

Commenting on npower's new SOL 9 tariff, Scott Byrom, utilities expert at price comparison site moneysupermarket.com, said: “High users of electricity will be disappointed with the introduction of npower’s SOL 9.

Wholesale energy prices, which have been increasing steadily, caused British Gas to raise the price of its ‘tracker’ tariff last week. Today, npower followed suit by announcing that its wholesale price tracker would rise by 17 per cent for gas and 13 per cent for electricity.

Commenting on today’s trading statement from Centrica, Paul Schofield, head of utilities at moneysupermarket.com, said: “Today's statement may well mark the start of the battle for the best fixed-price tariff on the market.

British Gas’ owner, Centrica, has issued its trading statement highlighting a reduction in profit margins in the second half of 2007 due to increased wholesale prices. If this continues into 2008, the energy giant has hinted that a rise in household energy prices will be inevitable.