EDF Energy has announced price rises of up to 14.7% for its five million customers, from 13th March. EDF are the latest company to announce substantial tariff hikes over the last year following spiralling wholesale energy costs.

The company, which owns London Energy, Seeboard and SWEB, will raise it’s gas priices by nearly 15%, and electricity by 4.7%. The smaller than average rise in electricity prices has been put down to EDF’s ownership of some of its own generating capacity.

The move was predictably met with calls for consumers to shop around for a better deal, although with so many companies announcing huge rises, it’s hard to see how people can avoid paying substantially higher bills in the future, no matter who they switch to.

Consumer watchdog Energywatch said that with average prices rising so fast, it won’t be long before bills of £1,000 or more become commonplace, forcing many more people into fuel poverty.

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