British Gas lifts price freeze
Published On 7 December 2006
British Gas has lifted the price freeze on its most competitive tariff in time for the new year, a new report has stated. According to uSwitch, energy company British Gas will be the most expensive energy provider for both standard and online tariffs in the UK in 2007.
The company's decision to freeze any further price rises on September 4th will now be lifted on January 8th 2007, however, British Gas has refuted allegations that this is a price rise.
Alan McLaughlin, British Gas spokesman, responded by saying Click energy customers had benefited from a price freeze.
He said: "As a special online offer, our September price increase did not affect them. As of January 8th this freeze is removed, however, this was made very clear to the 30,000 Click customers that took up this offer.
"Any suggestion that this is a new increase is ridiculous. This dual fuel tariff is still around ten per cent cheaper than our standard tariff and the electricity price remains one of the cheapest on the market."
However, uSwitch believes customers will now face an extra 12.5 per cent (£69) for their gas bills and 9.6 per cent (£29) for their electricity.
Ann Robinson, uSwitch spokesperson, said: "British Gas clearly remains defiant to government and consumer calls for lower prices.
"It is clear that Centrica is a business that places shareholder value, not customer value, at the top of its agenda.
"On the one hand it imposes a 36 per cent increase on its gas and electricity customers this year. On the other hand it increases its dividend payout payout to shareholders by 22 per cent. They need to strike more of a balance between the two interests."
