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No. 10 has urged customers to switch energy companies after EDF this morning announced an 11% hike in gas and electricity prices.
Downing Street described the rise as "very disappointing" and stressed that customers might get a better deal by changing energy suppliers.
"The message [to the public] really is to look at what deals are available in the market and switching is something that is encouraged to find the best deal for people," a No. 10 spokeswoman said.
The company, which has 3 million customers, announced this morning that bills would rise 10.8% from the beginning of December.
EDF is the fifth of the biggest six energy companies to raise prices, with only E.On freezing rates.
Labour's Shadow Energy Secretary Caroline Flint said the price hike showed the need for a "complete overhaul" of the energy market, and claimed customers had been "left to pay the price for David Cameron's incompetence".
She also called for a "much tougher regulator" to "get to grips about what the true cost of energy is".
EDF Managing Director Margin Lawrence said the Government's measures were partially to blame:
"We incur the cost of transporting, distributing the gas and electricity to peoples’ homes, these are costs that are regulated by Ofgem and are the same for all suppliers, and also the costs that we incur around energy efficiency, carbon reduction, environmental measures do seem to be reflecting potential increases," he told BBC News.
Summaries and transcripts from TV and radio
3 hours ago on Newsnight, BBC2
3 hours ago on Newsnight, BBC 2
6 hours ago on Channel 4 News
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6 hours ago