ScottishPower becomes third supplier to cut standard gas prices this year

• ScottishPower reduces standard gas prices by 5.4%, cutting £32 from the average gas bill – but not until 15th March

• The cut follows a 5.3% reduction by SSE to standard gas prices effective from 28th March, announced last week

• Uswitch.com continues to call for standard dual fuel plan cuts from the big six of at least 10% – around £120 – more in line with low wholesale energy prices.

ScottishPower has today announced a 5.4% cut to standard gas prices, following reductions announced last week by SSE. Commenting on the news, Uswitch.com Director of Consumer Policy, Ann Robinson, says: “ScottishPower is doing the right thing by following British Gas, E.ON and SSE with a price cut but – yet again – it falls well short of what customers have a right to expect.

“This is yet another demonstration that the energy market is broken. In a healthy, competitive market, drops in wholesale prices – which make up around half of bills – would be passed on. We should be seeing reductions of at least 10% on standard gas and electricity tariffs.

“Instead of waiting around for token-gesture price cuts, big six standard plan customers should do their own price cut by switching to a cheaper fixed deal, saving more than £320 a year.”

Big six suppliers’ standard plan price changes 2015/2016

| Supplier | Change | Effective | | E.ON | ·         Gas: down 3.5%

·         Gas: down 5.1%

| ·         13th January 2015

·         1st February 2016

| | EDF | ·         Gas: down 1.3% | ·         11th February 2015 | | British Gas | ·         Gas: down 5%

·         Gas: down 5%

| ·         27th February 2015

·         27th August 2015

| | ScottishPower | ·         Gas: down 4.8%

·         Gas: down 5.4%

| ·         20th February 2015

·         15th March 2016

| | npower | ·         Gas: down 5.1% | ·         16th February 2015 | | SSE | ·         Gas: down 4.1%

·         Gas: down 5.3%

| ·         30th April 2015

·         29th March 2016

|

Source: Uswitch.com. Correct as of 2nd February, 2016