Britain’s “Big Six” energy suppliers need a “kick up the backside” from the Government to ensure customers get the best deals, according to a former minister.
Labour’s Caroline Flint said the country’s largest companies have been “overcharging” those on standard variable tariffs, the default and usually most expensive tariff, for several years.
She added more protections needed to be offered to these customers, which, in turn, would shift how the big energy companies operated.
The brands known as the Big Six are British Gas, Npower, EDF, Scottish Power, SSE and E.ON.
Speaking in the Commons, Ms Flint said: “I’ve been saying for about five years now that they’ve been overcharging their customers on the standard variable tariff.
“That’s been confirmed by the Competition and Markets Authority and confirmed by Ofgem and is being confirmed by the Government as well.
“The only way we’re going to make a shift in these companies and the way they’ve operated is if we extend to those people on the standard variable tariff the protection that we’re offering those on pre-payment meters.
“Would the minister have a meeting with me to discuss what more we can do to make sure we actually give these big six energy companies a kick up the backside?”
Business Minister Margot James agreed to the meeting, noting Ms Flint has “extensive experience” in the area.
Ms James added: “We are certainly considering CMA remedies at the moment.”
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