New Year New Energy Prices

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Dec 10, 2012, 12:00 ET

CHESTER, England, December 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

As expected, E.ON announces 8.7 per cent price increase to customers' bills that takes effect 18^th January 2013
Fix energy bills now, says MoneySupermarket

Commenting on E.ON increasing the cost of gas and electricity by an average of 8.7 per cent, Clare Francis consumer finance expert at MoneySupermarket.com said: "It was only a matter of time before the last of the 'Big Six' announced an increase in energy prices. E.ON customers will see average rises of 8.7 per cent on average to gas and electricity prices (or £106.33 per year).

"Today's announcement was expected since E.ON promised not to hike the cost of standard residential prices in 2012. By announcing now, E.ON has given its customers the required 30 days notice of a rise in prices. This increase will come into effect on 18th January 2013.

"Price hikes from the energy companies are bad news for bill payers who are struggling with the cost of heating their homes. A recent MoneySupermarket poll showed a third of bill payers (35 per cent) would put extra clothes on at home when they are cold, rather than put the heating on, because they are worried about their energy bills, while another one in ten (nine per cent) would just put a heater on in one room.*

"Any customers languishing on a standard tariff should look for a better value deal now to avoid paying more for their energy than they need to at the most costly time of year. There is no guarantee we won't see another further price hikes this winter from the energy companies, so it is crucial you switch and fix to the best value deal to protect yourself from the impact of more price increases should they happen.

"Typical savings made by those moving from a standard deal to the best value fixed energy tariff on the market is around £248. Currently the recommended energy deal is EDF Energy Blue+ Price Promise June 2014, costing £1,181.94 a year on average for a typical household."

Notes to Editors:

* When you are cold at home, do you turn the heating on?
No - I put extra clothes on as I'm worried about the bills - 34.6%
No - I head to a family member or friend's house to warm up there - 0.9%
No - I just put a heater on in one room - 8.9%
No - I don't feel the cold - 1.9%
Yes - I put the heating on, regardless of the cost - 19.8%
Yes - I put the heating on but argue with my family / housemates about it - 4.8%
Yes - But I turn it off as soon as I am warn - 29.2%

Total votes: 3451

Web poll run on MoneySupermarket.com between 10-20 October 2012

Price rises announced by UK energy companies: Summer 2011

                   Gas         Electricity Average
                   increase    increase    Standard    Date         Date
    Provider       (%)         (%)         tariff      announced    effective
    Scottish Power 19          10          GBP1,391.21 07/06/2011   01/08/2011
    British Gas    18          16          GBP1,286.04 08/07/2011   18/08/2011
    SSE            18          11          GBP1,265.00 21/07/2011   14/09/2011
    E.ON           18          11.4        GBP1,254.55 05/08/2011   13/09/2011
    npower         16          7.2         GBP1,289.00 16/08/2011   01/10/2011
    EDF Energy     15.4        4.5         GBP1,241.00 15/09/2011   10/11/2011
    Average        17.4        10          GBP1,287.80

Price decreases announced by UK energy companies: January 2012

                                                          Difference
                                               Previous  after
               Gas   Electricity NEW Average   Average increase
             decrease decrease    Standard    Standard                       Date      Date
    Provider   (%)       (%)       tariff      Tariff   GBP  Difference announced effective
                                                                   %
    British                                                                12th
    Gas        N/A     5%      GBP1,260.56 GBP1,286.04  GBP25.48 1.98%  January Immediately
    EDF                                                                    11th        7th
    Energy      5%     N/A     GBP1,202.38 GBP1,240.26  GBP37.88 3.05%  January   February
                                                                           16th       27th
    E.ON       N/A     6%      GBP1,222.65 GBP1,254.55  GBP31.90 2.54%  January   February
                                                                           13th        1st
    npower      5%     N/A     GBP1,243.48 GBP1,282.43  GBP38.95 3.04%  January   February
                                                                           12th
    SSE       4.50%    N/A     GBP1,229.95 GBP1,265.00  GBP35.05 2.77%  January  26th March
    Scottish                                                               17th       27th
    Power       5%     N/A     GBP1,349.42 GBP1,391.21  GBP41.79    3%  January   February
    Average   4.90%   5.50%    GBP1,251.41 GBP1,286.58  GBP35.18 2.73%

Price rises announced by UK energy companies: Summer and Autumn 2012

                                     Difference
                          Previous     after
             NEW Average   Average    Increase  Difference
              Standard    Standard                           Date      Date
    Provider   tariff      Tariff       GBP         %      announced effective
    British                                                  12th      16th
    Gas      GBP1,318.82 GBP1,240.07  GBP78.75    6.40%     October  November
    EDF                                                      26th       7th
    Energy   GBP1,322.62 GBP1,202.38 GBP120.24    10.8%     October  December
    E.ON                 GBP1,222.65
                                                             12th      26th
    npower   GBP1,352.23 GBP1,243.48 GBP108.75    8.70%     October  November
                                                             22nd      15th
    SSE      GBP1,354.20 GBP1,237.85 GBP116.35    9.30%     August    October
    Scottish                                                 15th       3rd
    Power    GBP1,368.45 GBP1,349.42  GBP19.03    1.40%     October  December
    Average  GBP1,343.26 GBP1,249.31  GBP88.62     7.3%

Sourced by http://www.moneysupermarket.com

Average customer numbers:
British Gas - 15.8 million
SSE - 9.6 million
npower - 3 million
Scottish Power - 2.3 million
EDF Energy - 3 million
E.ON - 4.8 million

MoneySupermarket.com compares (at 30^th Oct 2012)

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10 broadband providers and 18 energy providers
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66 savings providers and 37 current account providers.
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