The electricity 引き裂く-off

Millions of householders are 存在 ripped off by up to £50 a year by greedy 力／強力にする companies.

The 会社／堅いs are passing on to 顧客s only a fraction of a 40 per cent 落ちる in 卸売 electricity prices.

A 国家の Audit Office 報告（する）／憶測 明らかにする／漏らすs that the 策略 逮捕するs the 供給者s an extra £600 million a year.

Long-standing 顧客s fare worst because they are often 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金d 20 per cent more than new （弁護士の）依頼人s.

This sharp practice can 追加する £50 to the typical £250 年次の 法案.

消費者 groups and MPs lined up yesterday to 非難する the electricity 会社／堅いs.

Ann Robinson, chairman of Energy-Watch, said: "Britain's 24 million electricity 消費者s are at the sharp end of a 露骨な／あからさまの price 引き裂く-off.

"I am furious that these price 削減s have not been passed on. It is morally and ethically wrong.

"Companies are plainly 偉業／利用するing their 顧客s. We believe that 活動／戦闘 must be taken to get rid of price 差別."

Two thirds of Brtiain's 世帯s are losing out because they have stuck with 存在するing 地域の 供給者s.

に引き続いて privatisation in 1990, 会社／堅いs have been 許すd to tout for 商売／仕事 in other parts of the country. And the 関税s they 申し込む／申し出 どこかよそで are often lower.

Scottish & Southern Group, for example, typically 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金s £283 in Scotland but only £217 in other areas.

It also 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金s £266 to long-standing 顧客s in the south of England but £217 on new accounts.

Npower's 年次の 法案 in the Midlands is £243 but new 顧客s can 支払う／賃金 £215.

And Powergen typically 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金s £236 in its East Midlands 中心地域 but £222 どこかよそで.

The NAO 報告（する）／憶測 follows a review of the way 力／強力にする is bought from 発生させる人（物）s.

It said that most 消費者s had seen 落ちるs of only 8 per cent にもかかわらず 卸売物価s 宙返り／暴落するing 40 per cent.

Tory MP Edward Leigh, who 議長，司会を務めるs the ありふれたs Public Accounts 委員会, said most 世帯s had seen "pitifully small" 伸び（る）s. Older people and いっそう少なく 井戸／弁護士席-off families have been 設立する to be the least likely to have switched to cheaper 関税s.

Mr Leigh called on 力／強力にする 産業 regulator Ofgem to do more to 確実にする people were not getting ripped off.

It is thought that many people are 気が進まない to switch when 圧力d by door-to-door salesmen. The 過程 is also perceived as bureaucratic and too much hassle.

Callum McCarthy, Ofgem's 長，指導者 (n)役員／(a)執行力のある, said: "国内の 顧客s can 利益 from the 落ちる in 卸売物価s by switching 供給者s and cutting their electricity 法案s by up to £50.

"We are 決定するd to encourage 国内の 顧客s to switch. We have, and will, take 活動／戦闘 against companies who mis-sell energy or 妨げる 顧客s switching 供給者."

The Electricity 協会, the 産業 貿易（する） 団体／死体, 主張するd major price 削減（する）s - around 14 per cent - have been passed on since 1998. "This is a very 競争の激しい market," said a 広報担当者. "The level of switching is way above what you would see in banking or telecoms.

"There have been 相当な price 削減s for 国内の 消費者s."

Asked why loyal 顧客s were 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金d more, he said: "They are 供給（する）d on the basis of long-standing 手はず／準備.

"We would encourage people to shop around for the best 取引，協定. People who don't do that in any market could 結局最後にはーなる in that sort of 状況／情勢."

顧客s may see even higher 法案s as 力／強力にする companies take 活動／戦闘 to （不足などを）補う 抱擁する 赤字s in staff 年金 基金s.

Scottish 力／強力にする said it had a £231 million 黒人／ボイコット 穴を開ける and would call on Ofgem to 許す it to （不足などを）補う the 不足（高） with higher prices.

Last year the company 上げるd its 利益（をあげる）s by deciding not to 支払う／賃金 into its 年金 基金 because of a £130 million 黒字／過剰.