EDF Energy customers to be hit with price hike this Friday

EDF Energy is the last of the big six suppliers to implement a price hike this side of Christmas - E.ON has frozen its prices for the rest of this year.

Ann Robinson, Director of Consumer Policy at uSwitch.com, says: "The high cost of energy is already burning a hole in consumers' pockets and this winter's price hikes will only serve to make the situation worse. Families face a ticking time bomb - all it will take is a plunge in the temperature for them to feel the full brunt of these higher prices. The fact is that many are already scared of their bills and higher prices this winter could see many more choosing to go cold.

"As nights get longer, darker and colder, almost nine in ten households (87%) are expected to be rationing their energy usage because of cost. Worryingly, three quarters of households (75%) went without heating at some point last winter, again this was because of cost.

"There are better and safer ways for consumers to protect themselves from higher energy prices - making your home more energy efficient will cut the amount of energy you use and moving to a more competitive tariff will cut the amount you pay for what you do use. These two steps will help you to keep a lid on your bills. There is currently more than £300 difference between the cheapest and the most expensive energy tariff on the market, while some  suppliers are still offering free or low-cost home insulation. I would urge consumers to act on these offers quickly - if you do your homework now, you can ease the pressure of winter's frosty grasp."