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ScottishPower cuts gas bills by 5%

Simon Ward
by Lovemoney Staff Simon Ward on 17 January 2012  |  Comments 3 comments

Company is the last of the 'Big Six' energy companies to announce a price cut.

ScottishPower cuts gas bills by 5%

ScottishPower has become the last of the Big Six energy suppliers to announce a price cut – in its case, a 5% drop in gas bills.

The cut will come into effect on 27 February and will benefit around 1.4 million of its gas and dual fuel customers. For gas and dual fuel customers paying by direct debit, the reduction equates to an average saving of £36 per year.

The cut applies to customers on the following tariffs:

  • Standard
  • Discounted Energy
  • Fresh Start
  • Pay in Advance
  • Online Energy Saver
  • SP Direct
  • Simply Green Energy
  • Unifi Capped Energy January 2014

Some customers on the Capped Price Energy tariff will benefit, but not all.

ScottishPower says it will not increase prices until 1 April at the earliest, but warned that prices will rise “in the long term”.

The company was the first of the Big Six to announce price rises last autumn – with gas prices increased by 19%.

All of the Big Six have chosen to only reduce the price of one utility, despite putting up the prices of both last year, twice in many cases.

Here's a full list of the Big Six's recent increases and reductions:

Supplier

Autumn increase in gas prices Autumn increase in electricity prices

Winter cut in gas prices

Winter cut in electricity prices

EDF Energy

15.4% 4.5%

5% (from 7 February)

-

SSE

18% 11%

4.5% (from 26 March)

-

British Gas

18% 16%

-

5% (now)

Npower

15.7% 7.2%

5% (from 1 February)

-

E.ON

18% 11%

-

6% (from 27 February)

ScottishPower 19% 10% 5% (from 27 February)
-

As you can see, most of the cuts don't come into effect until next month at the earliest.

Many consumer and campaign groups were pushing for cuts of up to 10% across both gas and electricity.

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More: The best and worst energy suppliers | Energy customers ‘missing out on millions in compensation’

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Comments (3)

  • Mark Vickery
    Love rating 5
    Mark Vickery said

    It is not really difficult to say inflation will be down.

    Inflation is measured by a 'shopping basket' of goods and services and as supermarkets are slashing prices heavily it will reduce one of the major components of the index. Add to that pay freezes and cuts and they counteract the rises we have seen in other areas.

    Report on 18 January 2012  |  Love thisLove  0 loves
  • SevenPillars
    Love rating 63
    SevenPillars said

    Interesting that the ones that have chosen to reduce gas prices have not lowered electricity prices, while a couple of others have done the reverse, lowered electricity prices, nothing on gas prices. When prices went up they raised on both, surprise, surprise! Scottish Power say they will keep that price fall until April 1st at least. How generous of them to guarantee it for a month. Is this a joke or just an early April Fool?

    Report on 18 January 2012  |  Love thisLove  0 loves

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