British Gas price rise kicks in tomorrow

Ann Robinson, Director of Consumer Policy at uSwitch.com, says: "This move will add to Britain's winter woes. British Gas is the third major energy supplier to increase prices in the run-up to Christmas. These hikes are not only hitting customers in the winter when energy usage is at a high, but are also hitting our bills during a particularly severe cold snap. This double whammy means that many households will find themselves turning the heating down or even off. In this cold weather it is simply unacceptable that energy prices could be forcing people to compromise on their well-being in this way.

"Rather than do this I would urge consumers to look to cut the cost of their energy painlessly by shopping around for a better deal. The average household energy bill is now an eye watering £1,228 a year, but the difference between the cheapest and most expensive energy plan in the market is £419. This saving is the equivalent of cutting almost a third off your yearly household energy bill and can be achieved without compromising on your health or well-being. Consumers who are worried about their bills this winter should be taking action now."