Energy customers are facing a potential “Halloween horror” from rocketing bills – as 12 fixed dual fuel deals are due to expire at the end of October.
Comparison website GoCompare.com said that households on the deals which are set to end stand to see an average annual increase in their bills of £147.95 or 15.2% if they sit tight and allow themselves to be rolled onto their supplier’s standard variable tariff.
GoCompare’s calculation is based on a household using a medium amount of energy and the average is taken across all the deals which are set to end.
It said that Npower, Co-operative Energy, Scottish Power, Sainsbury’s Energy, Extra Energy and First Utility all have dual fuel tariffs that are set to expire on October 31.
The deals will come to an end just as many households up and down the country start to put the heating on as temperatures edge downwards.
Caroline Lloyd, an energy spokeswoman at GoCompare.com, said: “The 12 fixed dual fuel tariffs due to expire on Halloween could result in a substantial price rise for customers on those tariffs.”