Centrica, the largest British-based ‘Big Six’ member has warned that millions of households across the UK can expect their utility bills to rise.Energy price changes |
|---|
| Scottish Power | Scottish & Southern | British Gas | Npower | E.On | EDF |
|---|
| G=Gas. E=Electricity |
| Nov 2010 | G:2% E:8.9% | | | | | |
| Dec | | G:9.4% | G:7% E:7% | | | |
| Jan 2011 | | | | G: 5.1% E: 5.1% | | |
| Feb | | | | | G:3% E:9% | |
| Mar | | | | | | G:6.5% E:7.5% |
| Aug | G:19% E:10% | | G:18% E:16% | | | |
| Sept | | G:18% E:11% | | | G:18% E:11% | |
| Oct | | | | G:15.7% E:7.2% | | |
| Nov | | | | | | G:15.4% E:4.5% |
| Jan 2012 | | | E: -5% | | | |
| Feb | G: -5% | | | G: -5% | E: -6% | G: -5% |
| Mar | | G: -4.5% | | |
The energy giant has predicted that the escalating wholesale cost of gas will push up energy bills next winter.
In the company’s interim statement Centrica said: “UK wholesale gas costs are around 15 percent higher for next winter than last, and non-commodity cost - which are also largely outside of our control – are expected to add a further £50 to the cost of supplying the average household this year. The trend for retail energy costs therefore remains upwards.”
The cost or running the average house has increased by over 70 percent over the last seven years, setting back families an average £1300 a year. A rate which is double the speed of inflation. Over the same period the cost of gas has tripled and the price of electricity has doubled.
The news of yet more rises on the horizon will be of grave concern for the majority of Britons who now consider energy bills as their primary financial worry, ahead of rent/mortgage payments and the cost of food.