Scottish Hydro owner hikes prices by 8.2%

Energy giant SSE is increasing gas and electricity prices by an average of 8.2 per cent, the first of the major suppliers to announce a rise this autumn.

The Perth-based group, which has around 10 million customer accounts, blamed the increased cost of buying and delivering wholesale energy, as well as UK government levies.

The increase, which is three times the rate of inflation, comes into effect from 15 November and SSE, which also trades as Southern Electric and Swalec, said the hike equated to an average £2 a week for a typical dual fuel customer.

Will Morris, the group’s retail managing director, said: “We’re sorry we have to do this.

“We’ve done as much as we could to keep prices down, but the reality is that buying wholesale energy in global markets, delivering it to customers’ homes and government-imposed levies collected through bills – endorsed by all the major parties – all cost more than they did last year.

“Eighty five per cent of a typical energy bill is made up of costs outside our direct control and these costs have increased. So far this year we have made a loss from supplying energy as a result of the higher costs we have been facing and continue to face.”