Following the announcement of gas tariff cuts of 5% from EDF energy this week, another two of the big six have reduced their prices.
Scottish and Southern Electric (SSE) will reduce their gas tariffs by 4.5% on the 26th of March and British gas is taking 5% off its electricity prices with immediately effect. 
The news will put pressure on the other three major energy firms to follow suit and reduce their prices as the wholesale prices go down.
British Gas said the move would save the average customer £24 a year and that 5.3 million customers would benefit from the reduction.
Ian Peters of British Gas said: “We want to keep prices as low as possible for our customers. Household budgets are stretched, and we are doing everything we can to help our customers keep their bills down,”
“This price reduction means British Gas is once again offering the cheapest standard electricity, on average, of any major supplier.”
This latest round of price cuts comes after hefty rises in both electricity and gas prices last August. British Gas raised its electricity prices by 16% and gas prices by 18%.
British Gas made the decision not to reduce its tariffs for gas, saying that although the wholesale price had fallen, the longer term trend was for prices to increase and that it had paid for its energy in advance at the higher price.
Scottish and Southern Electric (SSE) also announced its plans to reduce energy prices. The company plan to reduce their gas prices by 4.5% by the end of March.
The reduced rate will see 3.5 million homes pay an average of £28 less each year on their gas bill.
A spokesperson for the company said: “Virtually all of the gas being supplied to customers this winter was bought some time ago, but some of the gas that will be supplied to customers from the spring onwards has been purchased since the period of lower wholesale prices began,”
“Having analysed and considered the position for some time, SSE is able to announce this reduction in household prices.”
The supplier had also raised its prices last year, gas went up by 18% and electricity rose by 11% in September.
