FORMER LABOUR MP Alan Simpson accused the so-called Big Six energy companies of rigging the market yesterday after new figures revealed that households have forked out an unnecessary £7.3 billion on bills in the last five years.

Families supplied by British Gas, EDF, Npower, SSE, E.ON and Scottish Power have been paying out an average of £853 more a year than they needed to in that time, Ofgem data shows.

Energy provider Bulb looked at Ofgem figures and found that Big Six firms generally attract new customers by initially offering cheaper fixed tariffs.