BRITISH Gas today heaped more misery on hard-pressed households by announcing huge rises in its energy prices.

BRITISH Gas today heaped more misery on hard-pressed households by announcing huge rises in its energy prices.

The company, the UK's biggest supplier with 15.9 million customers, will raise gas bills by 35% and electricity by 9% - an average dual fuel price of 25%.

It comes after rival EDF Energy also announced a hike in its prices last week - and both have blamed wholesale energy prices for the move.

The changes will come into force straight away and will add 72p a day to the average bill, or £262.80 a year.

British Gas managing director Phil Bentley said that the company “very much” regretted the move, but added that society has entered an “era of unprecedented high world energy prices”.