moneysupermarket.com: npower cuts standard gas price

Commenting on npower cutting its standard gas price by seven per cent, Scott Byrom, utilities manager at moneysupermarket.com said: "Where's the price war we were all hoping for? It's not a ‘price war', it's more like a ‘price fisticuffs'.

"npower is the fourth of the Big Six to offer their customers a tiny price drop - seven per cent to standard gas prices. While this cut is on a par with the recent cut from rival British Gas, npower unfortunately hasn't even come close to taking the top spot on price for dual fuel customers; it currently sits fifth in the table for standard dual fuel tariffs (see table below).

"Effective from the end of this month (26 March 2010), npower's cut will benefit around two million customers and sees £50 a year knocked off the price of their standard tariff. Average npower standard tariff bills therefore move to £1196 per year for dual fuel, almost £50 a year more expensive than E.ON, the current best provider for standard dual fuel tariffs. It's also a shame to see that, like E.ON and SSE, npower's price change is only effective from the end of March when the damage has already been done with winter energy consumption and the resultant high energy bills.

"Unfortunately the theme for 2010 price drops to date is a disappointing one; the onus is on bill payers themselves to roll up their sleeves and make their own savings. Consumers need to wage their own war on their energy bills by standing up and walking away from their current deal if they have the opportunity to make a saving. Online pay monthly tariffs are still almost £300 cheaper per year than the standard quarterly tariffs. Effectively, this would mean an immediate 24 per cent price cut to your annual bills*.  While for many customers switching to a new provider is the best option, at the very least customers should contact their current provider and ask to move to its cheapest tariff."