Scottish Power and EDF Energy under pressure to cut bills

Scottish Power and EDF Energy have come under pressure to cut bills after regulator Ofgem said their prices were lagging behind rival operators.

Following an energy price war that began in February, Ofgem said the average customer could save up to £140 a year by switching from Scottish Power and £122 a year by leaving EDF Energy.

Karen Darby, founder of SimplySwitch.com, the price comparison and switching service, comments: “We’ve been expecting price cuts from both EDF Energy and Scottish Power for several weeks now. If they plan to leave prices where they are, and trade off consumer apathy to switching, they really are making a huge mistake. All the other major suppliers have announced significant price cuts. If Scottish Power and EDF don’t do the same, they risk a mass customer desertion.

“Switching energy companies has never been simpler. With rival providers’ prices falling, households could benefit massively by searching out the best deals.

“More than 600,000 households switched gas and electricity suppliers in January and February alone and, following a series of price rises last year, British Gas lost more than million customers. The message to energy companies should be loud and clear: switching suppliers is now so simple that people are no longer willing to put up with high prices or poor customer service.”