Around four million E.ON customers will see their electricity and gas costs rise by
11% and
18% respectively from 13 September.
As a result, the average cost of an annual duel fuel bill for a typical gas and electricity user consuming 3,300 kWh of electricity and 16,500 kWh of gas will go up from £1,122.83 to £1,254.55 - an increase of £131.72.
Scottish Power was the first major supplier to announce next price increases this summer. It hiked gas prices by 19% and electricity prices by 10% on 1 August, adding £175 to the average cost of an annual dual fuel bill for 2.4 million customers.
British Gas was next to follow suit, and will increase the cost of its standard gas by 18% and electricity by 16% from 18 August. As a result, British Gas bill payers will see almost £200 added to the average cost of a yearly bill.
Third in line was Scottish & Southern Energy (SSE). Its customers will see gas prices increase by an average of 18% for gas and 11% for electricity from 14 September. The average dual fuel customer with SSE will see bills increase by around £171 a year once the increases come into effect. SSE has promised that following this increase, bills won't rise again until August 2012 at the earliest.
If you're one of the millions who is going to be hit by steeper prices, there are things you can do to keep energy costs down.
Fix now!
Consumers worried about how they will be able to afford higher energy prices need to switch to a fixed tariff now, as the best deals are likely to disappear fast.
Scott Byrom, energy expert at moneysupermarket.com said; "In the face of rising prices, opting for the market leading fixed product Fix Saver v2, from EDF Energy with average bills of £1,009 is the best way to safeguard against further price increases from the energy giants.
"Shopping around using a price comparison site for the best value energy product is vital, and I urge everyone worried about the cost of their bills to act quickly as the best priced products are unlikely to be available for long."
For the many households already struggling to cope financially, knowing that their energy bills are fixed for at least the next 12 months will provide valuable peace of mind.
Don't hang around though, as now that the majority providers have announced price hikes, the most competitive fixed rate tariffs are unlikely to be available for long.
Cut energy costs
Switching to a fixed tariff isn't the only thing you can do to minimise the impact of energy price rises.
Being more energy efficient around your home can also reduce your energy costs. For example, every one degree you can turn your thermostat down by could save you up to about £50 a year in energy costs - so turn it down by just a couple of degrees could cut as much as £100 off your energy bills. You should also make sure your hot water and heating isn't left on longer than you need it.
Don't leave appliances on standby when you are not around either. The typical home wastes £40 a year on average by switching appliances onto standby mode rather than off completely.
Think carefully about what you can do to save energy around your home and find out how an energy usage monitor could help you in our article 'Best ways to reduce energy costs'.
Please note: Any rates or deals mentioned in this article were available at the time of writing. Click on a highlighted product and apply direct.
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