ScottishPower cuts gas bills by 5%

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

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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