BRITISH Gas owner Centrica has tripled profits to £3.3billion amid a year of soaring energy prices.
The record jump has outraged charities trying to help families facing £3,000-a-year bills from April.
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Scope’s Tom Marsland said: “It’s obscene that firms continue to make massive profits as disabled people face devastating situations because they can’t afford enough energy.”
The monster profit comes after it emerged British Gas agents were forcibly installing pre-pay meters.
Centrica boss Chris O’Shea said their behaviour was unacceptable and pledged to fix it.
But he stopped short of offering compensation and refused to say if he would decline a possible £1.6million bonus.
He waived last year’s £1.1million bonus, citing customer hardship.
Mr O’Shea says Centrica cannot solve the problem of rising bills. A social tariff has been considered by suppliers but is yet to be backed by the Government.
Nearly all Centrica’s profit comes from its North Sea oil and gas and nuclear power divisions.
It will pay £2.5billion in UK tax this year, against £1billion last year. It has boosted its shareholder payouts to £750million.
