Millions of Britons faced up to more energy price misery over the weekend, despite renewed calls for a fairer deal for customers.
Npower implemented its latest energy price rise on Saturday, meaning its 3.3 million households face an average hike of £135 for a standard dual fuel bill.
The company announced it would put up prices by an average of 15.7% for gas and 7.2% for electricity in August.
The rises mean that the average household bill for a dual fuel Npower customer will rise from £1,149 to £1,282.
In another blow for energy customers, EDF scrapped its cheapest dual fuel deal from the market late last week.
The Fixed Saver Version 2 had offered customers an average dual bill of £1,009 a year with a guarantee of no price rises until September 2012, but it has now been pulled for new customers.
This latest withdrawal means that all of the Big Six providers – British Gas, E.ON, ScottishPower, Scottish and Southern, EDF and Npower – have axed their cheapest tariffs over the last few months.
Scottish Power now offers the cheapest fixed price deal.
Its Online Fixed Price Energy December 2012 offer costs £1,015 per year for gas and electricity and fixes bills until December 2012.
The cheapest internet tariff also currently comes from ScottishPower, namely Online Energy Saver 15, which costs £990 a year. Average UK energy bills are currently about £1,300 a year.
Mark Todd, director of the independent price comparison service Energyhelpline.com, said: “This double whammy of bad news means the price rises continue despite the calls from politicians to do something for consumers.