British Gas announce 9.2 per cent price rise
Centrica owned British Gas has announced a 9.2 per cent price rise fro this November. That follows a recent increase by competitor SSE, of 8.2 per cent (release).
British Gas electricity prices will rise by 10.4 per cent, and gas prices by 8.4 per cent from 23 November.
Today’s announcement, which will add about £2 a week to the average dual fuel bill, reflects the increasing cost of: buying energy in global markets, delivering gas and electricity to the home, and the Government’s social and environmental programmes, which are paid for through customers’ bills.
Centrica said that they will do their "utmost to help people keep bills under control" and that they are now offering a new tariff – Fix & Fall November 2014 – which guarantees fixed prices until 30 November 2014. If standard prices fall, Fix & Fall prices will too.
New regulator rules from Ofgem also requires all British Gas customers – regardless of tariff – to pay a fixed standing charge of 26p per day.
Ian Peters, managing director of British Gas Residential Energy, said that he understands that "these are difficult times for many customers" and that energy prices are rising due to "costs that are not all directly under our control, such as the global price of energy, charges that we have to pay for using the national grid that delivers energy to the home, and the cost of the Government’s social and environmental programmes."