The British energy regulator Ofgem announced on Friday a reduction in gas and electricity prices paid by a majority of households, capped from April at their lowest level since the start of the war in Ukraine.
The bill for an average household
“will decrease by 12.3%”
on April 1, which will result in
“a reduction of 238 pounds (278 euros) over the course of a year, or a saving of around 20 pounds per month”
, announced Ofgem in a press release.
“Energy prices will thus reach their lowest level since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 caused a new surge in an already volatile market (...)
,” the press release continues.
The surge in energy prices has led to a general surge in prices which has severely reduced the purchasing power of the British and remains a thorn in the side of the Conservative government, in the run-up to the legislative elections scheduled for this year.
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A “welcome” drop
The cap on average energy bills had already fallen significantly last year, but Ofgem raised it by 5% for the first quarter of this year, citing a rebound in wholesale electricity and gas prices.
The regulator admits, however,
“that the cost of living remains high and many customers continue to struggle with their bills”
.
He authorized suppliers to apply a temporary deduction of 28 pounds per year to everyone's bill, intended to support their customers most in difficulty.
“Any reduction in energy bills is welcome
,” responded Adam Scorer, general director of the association fighting energy poverty NEA, in a press release.
The average bill will
“always remain 400 pounds (per year, Editor’s note) above what it was in October 2021, at the start of the energy crisis, according to the association, for which 6 million British households remain”
trapped in energy poverty
.
"
The sharp fluctuation in energy prices (...) could not be a clearer indication of the urgent need to move away from fossil fuels," responded Georgia Whitaker, of Greenpeace UK, in a press release. , criticizing the new oil and gas exploration permits announced by the government.