Responding to the news that interim operating profits at SSE’s retail energy supply business in the six months to September 2015 have risen to £73.8m from a loss of £16.9m last year, Ann Robinson, Director of Consumer Policy at Uswitch.com, says: “This is yet more evidence that energy suppliers are benefiting from lower wholesale prices and improved margins.
“Consumers are not cash cows. It’s simply unacceptable that, while SSE is set to make healthy profits, many of its customers are fearing sky-high energy bills this winter.
“Wholesale prices remain at record lows, yet SSE has made only one cut to its standard gas tariff this year. It’s high time for some decent, double-digit price cuts from all suppliers to both standard gas and electricity tariffs to ease the pain of exorbitant bills.
“In the meantime, SSE’s standard tariff customers should act and switch to the market’s best deal, saving themselves a staggering £290 a year on average.”
Big six suppliers’ standard plan prices
| Supplier | Plan name | Average annual cost (paying on receipt of bill) | Average annual cost (paying by monthly Direct Debit) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| British Gas | Standard | £1,133 | £1,075 | ||
| E.ON | E.ON Energy Plan | £1,149 | £1,079 | ||
| SSE | Standard | £1,169 | £1,089 | ||
| EDF Energy | Standard (Variable) | £1,170 | £1,100 | ||
| ScottishPower | Standard | £1,193 | £1,113 | ||
| npower | Standard | £1,204 | £1,110 |
Source: Uswitch.com. Correct as of 11th November, 2015
Big six suppliers’ standard plan price changes 2015
| Supplier | Change | Effective | | E.ON | · Gas: down 3.5% | · 13th January | | British Gas | · Gas: down 5%
· Gas: down 5%
| · 27th February
· 27th August
| | ScottishPower | · Gas: down 4.8% | · 20th February | | npower | · Gas: down 5.1% | · 16th February | | SSE | · Gas: down 4.1% | · 30th April | | EDF Energy | · Gas: down 1.3% | · 11th February |
Source: Uswitch.com. Correct as of 11th November, 2015
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Jason Wakeford
Phone: 0203 872 5612
Email: jason.wakeford@uswitch.com
Twitter: @UswitchPR
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