Energy Suppliers And Government Must Work Together To Help Bring Down Prices

Amongst the rising political backlash against energy companies in the UK, there has been a call for calm from leading energy officials. Vicent de Rivaz, recently told the Andrew Marr Show that it is up to the government and energy companies to work together in order to help ease the burden of high pricing on the general public. By joining forces and working together the costs of energy could be born down.

A recent government initiative has made changes to green and social levies which should see customers gaining an average £50 reduction in their bills. However, this came after many companies had announced increased prices during the autumn. The general public is understandably rather worried about the increasing costs of energy bills, which is one of the reasons why Mr de Rivas believes that the government and suppliers need to work together. He said:  “Energy bills are hurting. It’s not good enough for the energy companies to say that nothing can be done.”

Fear of False Charging

Labour leader Ed Miliband is promising energy bill price freezes if his party are voted into government at the next general election. This has led to fears that energy companies may be tempted to raise their prices before and after such a freeze in order to combat potential losses. However, this would be a morally dubious decision to take, and many people within in the energy industry have uttered words of caution against so called ‘false-charging’ policies.

However, there are those that believe that politicians should stop treating energy companies as convenient targets. Sir Roger Carr, believes that politicians have to stop bashing British business. Sir Roger wrote in the Sunday Telegraph that:

“All energy companies have been accused of profiteering, collaborating with competitors, manipulating costs to disguise profits, and caring little for their customers. These charges are false. It is wrong to provide false hope to consumers that green energy can be a cheap commodity or that supply can be delivered without major investment. Low energy costs are a thing of the past and a fiction of the future.”

Keep Costs Down

With the average annual dual fuel bill currently standing at £1,315 per UK household, there can be no surprise that many people are wondering how to keep their energy costs down this winter. Putting on an extra jumper has become the mantra of many a homeowner.

However, it is also worthwhile looking into making a LPG switch. It may well be that your household has access to a better energy deal. Having to switch gas suppliers can often feel like a major deal, but it is important to be supplied by a reliable company with a strong worldwide reputation. Do some research into current energy price tariffs and you may well be surprised at the money that could be saved on your current bills.

If the government does carry out further work with the energy companies it can only be a good thing. People deserve the best deals possible.