The Labour MP stated that 75 per cent of the customers of British Gas, EDF Energy, Eon, Npower, Scottish Power and SSE are on standard variable tariffs, which are on average £180 more expensive than the cheapest deals offered by each supplier. Some are almost £250 more expensive, according to analysis by Labour.
Flint also slammed prime minister David Cameron for failing to act on his promise to introduce legislation to force the suppliers to put their customers on to the cheapest tariff they offer.
She said: “More than two years after David Cameron promised to make energy companies put all customers on the lowest tariff, millions of households are still being routinely overcharged by hundreds of pounds every single year. “
Flint also reiterated Labour’s price freeze pledge, whereby prices would be capped until 2017, as well as her party’s plans to “give the regulator the power to force energy suppliers to cut their prices and end overcharging once and for all” should Labour win the general election in May.
Energy UK chief executive Lawrence Slade defended the standard variable tariffs being offered by the major suppliers.
He said: “Standard variable tariffs are just that, the standard price a company is offering energy to customers.
“Part of the cost of energy is an assurance that the gas and electricity has been bought months in advance, making sure energy will be available to customers when it is needed.
“New fixed price deals are able to take advantage of short-term changes in costs and usually offer lower prices than the standard deals, often for a year or two.”
Slade added that consumers were able to cut their energy bill by switching supplier.