02/12/2013

Energy Firms To Cut Fuel Bills

A number of major energy firms have said they plan to cut fuel bills, following a series of new measures from the government.

Over the weekend, Centrica, which owns British Gas, said it would cut bills by £53 in January 2014 – two months after it increased its prices by £123 for the average dual-fuel customer.

SSE confirmed it too would pass on savings to its customers of around £50 by April 2014, while Npower said it would implement a conditional price freeze until 2015. It explained that it wold not increase its prices until 2015 unless wholesale costs increased. The firm had introduced a planned price rise of 10.4% over the weekend, but said it would be reduced, once it has worked out how much changes to government policy would save it.

The move by the firms comes as the UK government said it would make changes to customers' energy bills. Yet overall prices are still rising for most energy customers over the winter period.

The other 'big six' companies include EDF and E.On.

In a statement, EDF suggested it would not increase its prices again before 2015. Last month, it announced a 3.9% price rise, which will take effect in January.

E.On, which has not announced a price rise yet this winter, said that the government changes would mean prices would not be as high as they could have been.

Currently, the average dual fuel bill for households is £1,340.

(JP/CD)

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