Households in North Wales pay highest rate for electricity under UK government’s Energy Price Guarantee
People in North Wales pay the highest rate for their electricity under the government’s Energy Price Guarantee, according to research by the BBC.
BBC Radio 4’s Money Box programme analysed official figures from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and Ofgem which show the price per unit of electricity and gas under the Energy Price Guarantee in the 14 regions of Great Britain used by the industry.
Money Box found that people in the Manweb region, which stretches from Aberystwyth through north Wales and as far east as Warrington and Crewe, including Liverpool pay 36p a unit compared with the average of 34p, and the lowest of 32p.
The BBC report notes that the Manweb region is “not the most expensive region for gas, paying just a fraction above the average of 10.3p.”
“That still leaves a typical dual-fuel bill for electricity and gas the most expensive at £2,566 a year, higher than the typical £2,500 stated by the government for its Guarantee.”
The cheapest region for electricity is the northeast of England over 32p for each unit. Typical households in this region will pay around £2,445 a year.”
ELECTRICITY PRICE POSTCODE LOTTERY
Full table of the Energy Price Guarantee local caps for unit prices (economy 7 not included and 3 green suppliers may be different). My story here https://t.co/xyQGxbRedw pic.twitter.com/464o0HzzVE— Paul Lewis (@paullewismoney) October 14, 2022
Prepay customers in North Wales and Mersey and those there who pay quarterly also have the highest typical annual bills – £2,621 and £2,785 respectively, MoneyBox found.
This is because standing charges are more and unit rates are the highest in Britain for those payment methods,” the report states.
Ofgem says price differences “reflect how much it costs to transport energy to where you live”.
It adds: “The charging regime… is a way to share out costs for running and maintaining the energy network”
Ben Saltmarsh of the fuel poverty charity National Energy Action Wales gave the Money Box programme his reaction.
He said: “There is a huge question over whether that is fair. It’s very significant. We have increasing numbers of people living at home with no heat or power for prolonged periods to the detriment of their health. Every penny counts.”
The BBC produced the following graphic to illustrate the price differences.
