EDF

If you've switched energy provider in the last six years, you could be owed a slice of £200 million after energy regulator Ofgem found the big six suppliers guilty of failing to return money to millions of former customers.

The big six energy suppliers will be fined if they fail to meet new rules aimed at helping smaller firms break into the market, the energy regulator says.

Millions of energy customers who pay by direct debit will now get automatic refunds from their supplier, regardless of how much their account is in credit by.

First Utility has cut its fees for customers who pay for their gas and electricity by cash or cheque. But everybody who can should switch to paying by direct debit for their energy, to avoid up to £90 a year in extra charges.

Energy Secretary Ed Davey wants the energy regulator to look into the profits the big six energy companies make on gas bills.

E.on is to hike energy prices by an average of 3.7% from 18 January, becoming the last of the big six power suppliers to announce an increase in its charges.

Households are to be spared the full force of recent bill hikes after power firms pledged to pass on savings from a Government shake-up of energy levies.

2.4 million EDF customers will be hit with gas and electricity price hikes of 3.9% from 3 January, after it became the fifth of the big six energy firms to announce a rise.

Energy giant EDF has pledged not to hike prices before the end of the year, as power bosses were grilled about price hikes by a committee of MPs.

Just over two million customers will be hit with gas and electricity price rises from 6 December, after Scottish Power became the fourth of the big six energy firms to announce a price rise.