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Higher costs for new online customers
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npower Introduce New Online Tariff
Writes Dan Drage dan.drage@consumerchoices.co.uk
npower has caused a stir by replacing its old sign online tariff with a significantly more expensive version.
The npower (www.npower.com) Sign Online 10 tariff has been withdrawn and replaced by Sign Online 11. Sign online 11 rates are up to 20% more expensive than its predecessor. The price increase has been blamed on rising wholesale costs and skyrocketing crude oil prices.
The Sign Online 11 tariff is introduced with immediate effect. Existing Sign Online 10 customers remain unaffected and will stay on their current pricing system.
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"Existing Sign Online 10 customers remain unaffected and will stay on their current pricing system"
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The new tariff is still the cheapest dual fuel tariff on the market, at £10 cheaper than British Gas (www.britishgas.co.uk) Click Energy 5.
Energy analysts predict domestic energy bills could rise by as much as 25% over the next 12 months. An increase on that scale would force another 1 million people in the UK into fuel poverty. Fuel Poverty is defined as needing to spend more than 10 per cent of household income on energy.
Chris Eagle, Commercial Manager at Energy Choices had the following to say:
‘npower kept its Sign Online 10 tariff below the market average for as long as it could to attract new custom. Luckily, those who signed up for Sign Online 10 are unaffected by the price rises associated with Sign Online 11. When you’re considering who to switch to, it’s not always the cheapest option that offers the best solution. Think long term.’
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