The average energy bill for a British Gas customer could rise by as much as 46pc this year, market experts warned today.

If oil and wholesale gas prices continue to soar, energy bills could hit £1,327 by the end of 2008, an unprecedented increase in one year, according to price comparison website uSwitch.


uSwitch made its prediction after British Gas gave a thinly veiled warning that bills would increase further this year. The energy supplier said that wholesale prices will rise 77pc this winter, at 85p a therm compared with 48p a therm last winter.

Historically it has passed on about half of the wholsesale gas price increases, which would mean that customers could be faced with a 39pc increase to their annual energy bills.