British Gas price rise due 'in the next few weeks'

Centrica - the company which owns British Gas - has suggested that British Gas could announce a price rise in ‘the next few weeks.'

Tweeting from the Energy and Climate Change Committee, industry watchdog Consumer Focus quoted a Centrica representative as saying: ‘On the balance of probabilities we will reluctantly put prices up in next few weeks.'

British Gas is the first energy supplier to give an indication of when it is likely to put up its prices since ScottishPower's price rise announcement earlier in the month. On 7th June, ScottishPower announced a price rise of 19% for gas and a 10% for electricity, which will take effect from 1st August this year. Since the announcement, uSwitch.com data shows that worried consumers have rushed to fix their energy prices - 59% of those switching their energy supplier or 205,000 households a month are now choosing a fixed price energy tariff.

Tom Lyon, energy expert at uSwitch.com, says: "The debate is no longer about what is going to happen to energy prices - it's now about what action consumers intend to take. The spectre of energy bills potentially hitting almost £1,400 a year is just too big to ignore. As a result, we are seeing a surge in the number of people looking to protect themselves by fixing their energy prices.

"Opting for a fixed price deal is a sure-fire way of safeguarding against energy price increases. However, like fixed-rate mortgages, these energy deals could swiftly disappear from the market. Consumers therefore need to act quickly to secure the best deals while they are still available. The message is clear: act fast if you want to fix for your future."