Owner of British Gas makes £43 a second
PRAISE be, Angelina Jolie is back to her best after her messy break-up with Brad.
The actress, 41, has been keeping a low profile but stepped back into the limelight, surrounded by all six of her kids. They were in Cambodia yesterday for the world premiere of her film, First They Killed My Father.
Angelina’s eldest child Maddox, 15, was adopted from an orphanage close to where last night’s red carpet event was held. THE company that owns British Gas raked in a £1.4billion profit bonanza on the back of falling energy costs – while still hiking bills for millions.
Centrica is now under growing pressure to slash prices as it prepares to announce its annual results – expected to show it made profits of £43 A SECOND last year.
Analysis of industry figures show British Gas benefitted from a 38 per cent drop in wholesale gas costs over the past three years but passed on reductions of just 14 per cent.
Experts believe the firm should now slash gas prices by 10 per cent, saving households £56 on an average £560 annual gas bill.
Mark Todd, of switching site Energyhelpline.com, said: “Ofgem statistics show British Gas has benefitted massively from the drop in costs of supplying customers over the past three years. British Gas should do the right thing, give them a price cut, and reduce the fear from turning on the heating that so many older people feel.”
It comes as MPs on the Commons Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Select Committee are due to quiz regulator Ofgem over “excessive” price increases.
Npower has announced a 10 per cent price rise from March, while Scottish Power is increasing dual prices by an average seven per cent. British Gas, E. on and SSE are expected to hike prices after August.
Shadow Energy Minister Rebecca Long-Bailey said: “For too long the Big Six energy firms have raked in excessive profits. In the depths of winter, staying warm is key but is a luxury for these households.”
Centrica said it couldn’t comment on its projected financial results.