EDF hikes gas and electricity prices

EDF Energy has become the last of the big six suppliers to announce a tariff rise as it called an end to its winter price freeze on 2 March. Standard tariffs for electricity bills will rise by an average 7.5 per cent, and gas bills will increase by an average of 6.5 per cent.

EDF, which has 5.5 million customers in the UK, held its prices through the coldest December on record as part of its winter price freeze.

But analysts at Consumer Focus noted that the firm had raised its electricity prices in October, and its March price rises are higher than those of most other suppliers.