24 June 2005
Gas group Centrica has announced that its results are in line with expectations, though conceded that British Gas' customer-base is expected to drop significantly.
The fall in custom has been attributed to rising gas costs and more competitive offers from other providers.
British Gas has lost 445,000 accounts already this year, primarily because of rising bills for customers.
Comparison website uSwitch.com released a comment on the energy group's results. Alan Tattersall, director of Home Services at uSwitch.com, said: "Despite Centrica stating that its customer decline has slowed, it appears that the company is still battling broad customer losses across its energy brand, British Gas."
He added: "Furthermore, while British Gas is relatively competitive in the electricity market it has still raised the average bill by as much as five per cent more than some of their rivals since 2004."
Mr Tattersall also predicted that the gas provider to have make price hikes of as much as 15 per cent in the near future, in order to offset wholesale gas and electricity costs.
He advised consumers: "People will either have to start economising elsewhere on their household bills or become savvier when it comes to finding the cheapest energy supplier."
Find the cheapest gas and electricity suppliers and save up to £170 a year at uSwitch.com.