Scottish Power adds to price hikes

Scottish Power has become the latest energy firm to announce it is putting up its prices

Customers already struggling with a debt problem could find matters even harder when the increases of seven per cent on average are applied to gas and electricity bills.

Although 700,000 homes are not affected as they are on a fixed deal, this may simply be buying such people time, while bringing down the mean increase.

For those on standard dual fuel bills, the hike will arrive on December 3rd and they will bear the brunt of the rise, with an 8.7 per cent jump.

Prepayment customers will see their bills increase by 8.6 per cent.

Chief executive for retail and generation Neil Clitheroe claimed the firm has spent most of this year "absorbing increased costs" in areas such as transporting gas to homes.

Commenting on the news, director of consumer policy at uSwitch Ann Robinson said the news would not come as a surprise after other recent announcements.

However, she added, people will be "disappointed and angry that these increases will be hitting them in the winter when the blow will be felt hardest".

Posted by Paul Thacker