10% GAS HIKE IS TAKING US ALL FOR FUELS

Millions face price rise on April1

BRITISH Gas yesterday hit nearly four million customers with an “eye watering” price rise.

The country’s biggest supplier confirmed it would increase prices by the maximum 10.5% allowed from April 1.

Hours later Scottish Power imposed a near identical rise.

It means five of Britain’s Big Six suppliers have announced plans to use an increase in the regulated price cap to hike bills as much as they can.

SSE, the last of the six, is expected to follow suit in the coming days.

The fresh blow to customers comes as British Gas owner Centrica prepares to announce its annual results tomorrow which are expected to reveal profits of £44 a second.

British Gas blamed the “cost of energy and government policies” for increasing its typical standard variable tariff by £117 a year.

The firm’s prepayment meter prices will also jump by an average £106 a year. Shadow Business Secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey said: “Big energy companies – and British Gas are not alone – are making life miserable for households while posting big profits, all enabled by the Government’s hopeless price cap.”

Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable, a former Business Secretary, said: “These big price rises demonstrate the weakness of government regulation and will be a blow to energy consumers.”

The increases more than offset savings customers made when the cap on default prices came into force on January 1.

Alex Neill of consumer group Which? said: “The energy price cap will be cold comfort for the millions of British Gas customers who will now face eyewatering price hikes in April.”