| |
Consumers face bigger bills
|
Scottish and Southern follow with price rises
By Becca Talbot becca.talbot@consumerchoices.co.uk
Scottish & Southern Energy customers will see the price of their gas rise by 29.2%, and electricity by 19.2%, as of Monday, following an increase in wholesale energy prices.
The energy supplier’s announcement came just four hours after rival E.ON (www.eonenergy.com) raised the price of gas by 26%, and electricity by 16%.
Customers with Scottish and Southern’s “dual fuel” tariff should now expect an average annual household energy bill of about £1,259.
Alistair Phillips-Davies, Energy Supply Director of Scottish and Southern, said of the price hikes: “The world is experiencing an energy shock of a kind not seen since the early 1970s, but which is likely to have more profound and lasting consequences.”
Continuing, he said: “I am sorry that we cannot delay these price rises any longer. Although this will be little consolation, these increases would have been even higher but for the fact wholesale prices had fallen back a little in recent weeks.”
Following E.ON’s price hikes earlier the same day, the two energy suppliers are the third and fourth of the “big six” companies to increase the cost of household energy bills, with the remaining firms - Scottish Power (www.scottishpower.co.uk) and npower (www.npower.com) - expected to follow suit.
|
“The world is experiencing an energy shock of a kind not seen since the early 1970s.”
|
Wholesale gas and electricity prices have risen sharply in the last two days because of a leak in a Norwegian gas pipeline that has sparked fears that Britain’s gas supplies could be severely reduced this winter.
Unless wholesale prices fall again fuel bills may rise even further as a result, although Scottish and Southern have said it plans no further increases this year.
“People are naturally very concerned about the many financial pressures they are now facing,” said Alistair Phillips-Davies, “but when it comes to electricity and gas there is always help available, from free energy efficiency measures to tariff choices and tailor-made payment plans.”
He went on to say: “This is not a time for gimmicks. We stand ready to do real work with our customers through this difficult period. Specifically, we have set up a new customer service unit dedicated to giving information, advice and help to customers who may have difficulty in coping with the impact of higher energy bills.”
Scottish and Southern’s increases will not apply to customers on their social tariff or energyplus care tariff, until at least the end of the forthcoming winter period, the company have said.
Chris Eagle, Financial Director of EnergyChoices.co.uk advises consumers: “Scottish and Southern’s price rise is not unexpected, if you haven’t already switched to a Fixed Price tariff hold back until npower and Scottish Power have followed suit. You will then be able to get a full view of the market and compare energy prices to get the best available deal, helping to limit the impact of spiraling energy bills.”
| 
