EDF Energy has confirmed it will hike its gas and electricity prices from next month.

The company, which has 5.5m customers in the UK, said from March 2 it would, on average, increase gas bills by 6.5% and electricity by 7.5%.

It is the last of the major energy firms to raises prices, and it follows a decision to freeze prices over the winter.

The firms is blaming increasing wholesale prices and non-energy costs, such as higher network charges and new environmental obligations, for the price hikes.

Martin Lawrence, managing director of energy sourcing and customer supply at EDF Energy, said: “Although we regret the need to raise prices, we held out for longer than all of the other major suppliers and we hope our winter price freeze guarantee shows that not all energy companies are the same. W

“We have delayed this increase until the end of a particularly difficult winter, which included the coldest December in 100 years.”