Big six pay out £7bn to shareholders - 16/07/2012
Shareholders have received a healthy payout from energy suppliers, as consumers face escalating fuel bills, according to a new report.
Energy watchdog Ofgem revealed £7 billion has been paid out by the Big Six companies, with customers seemingly paying the price.
Shadow Energy Secretary Caroline Flint criticised the practice, claiming the public is "not getting a fair deal".
She added: "At a time when ... all the energy firms say they have no option but to increase bills, there are serious questions about how they can justify paying billions to shareholders."
EDF Energy forked out £1.87 billion, while E.ON paid £1.5 billion to its investors and Scottish Power handed out £1.37 billion.
Meanwhile, customers are facing a dual fuel bill rise again this autumn, despite costs having risen by £140 in the last year.
Those keen to keep their fuel costs to a minimum may want to look into supplier price comparisons, as experts claim summer is the ideal time to switch provider.
If you want to find out more about how to compare energy suppliers and save hundreds of pounds in minutes, click here.
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