Summit aims to ease energy costs

Energy companies are to be ordered to make it easier for customers to save money on their bills, with millions of people to be offered free insulation as the winter approaches.

A summit of the big six firms, ministers, consumer groups and the watchdog Ofgem will tomorrow seek to strike a deal to drive down costs, including simplifying the complex system of gas and electricity tariffs which confuses customers. The Prime Minister, David Cameron, will tell families he is doing all he can to help them cut costs.

Last week it emerged that average energy firm profits had leapt to £125 a year per customer – up from just £15 in June.