SSE announces price hike

Energy firm Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) has announced plans for a fresh price hike, which will take place from October 15th 2012.

The firm has revealed it intends to raise its prices for both gas and electricity by nine per cent, which amounts to £8 a month for the typical SSE customer receiving both forms of fuel.

Director of customer services Tony Keeling said: "We've tried to control prices for customers and keep them as low as possible, but some of the costs we have had to pass on."

SSE is also promising to cut prices again if it can and make sure there are no more increases before the middle of 2013, but this may come as little consolation to consumers struggling with debt who face a harder task to make repayments as their energy bills rise.

Commenting on the SSE decision, director of energy at Consumer Focus Audrey Gallacher said the increase would be "a hard blow for consumers" at a time of economic difficulty.

By Joe White