20 March 2008
Scottish and Southern Energy has become the last of the six major energy suppliers to raise their prices in 2008. The decision, attributed to rising wholesale energy prices, will come into force on 1 April and add an extra £131 to customers' average dual fuel energy bill.
Average gas prices will increase by 15.8% or £85 a year, and average electricity prices by 14.2% or £50 a year. Altogether the average Scottish and Southern Energy standard duel fuel bill will now be over £1,000 a year – up from £875 in 2007. The price rise will also apply to all Scottish and Southern Energy brands, which means Atlantic Electric and Gas, Scottish Hydro Electric, Swalec and Southern Electric customers will also be affected.
In January npower became the first of the big six to hike energy prices, and was soon followed by EDF Energy and British Gas. It was not until early February that E.ON and ScottishPower both instigated their own increases and now Scottish and Southern Energy’s price rise will come into affect at the beginning of April. Despite the price increase, Scottish and Southern Energy has managed to retain its position as the cheapest supplier for duel fuel – if only by £1.
2008 post price rise average cost of a standard duel fuel plan*
| Supplier | Bill size |
| SSE | £1,006 |
| EDF Energy | £1,007 |
| British Gas | £1,055 |
| npower | £1,056 |
| E.ON | £1,063 |
| ScottishPower | £1,100 |
| | |
| Average | £1,048 |
Tim Wolfenden, Head of Home Services uSwitch.com, responded to Scottish and Southern Energy’s price rise announcement: “As the last of the big six energy suppliers to increase its prices, SSE should be applauded for ensuring its customers were not impacted by price increases over the winter months. Unfortunately, it should come as no surprise to its customers that bills are increasing, as where others lead, it was sure to follow.
“SSE has announced increases of 14.2% for electricity (£50) and 15.8% for gas (£85). Its Dual Fuel tariff has risen by £131 (15%), taking the annual fuel bill for an SSE customer to £1,006 as of April 1st – however this still makes it the cheapest supplier for dual fuel if only by £1. The question on customers’ lips should now be: are there further price rises to come, especially as we head towards next winter?”
*Based on a medium user profile on a standard dual fuel plan. Customer using 3,300 kWh of electricity and 20,500 kWh gas per annum, paying on receipt of bill with bill sizes averaged across all regions.
Copyright uSwitch 2008