DISGASTING

889% leap in profits for British Gas to £969m... 'It's yet more evidence we have a broken energy system'

-  GRAHAM HISCOTT

BRITISH Gas has revealed that its profits rocketed almost 10-fold to nearly £1billion in the first six months of the year.

It has been slammed as further proof of "Britain's broken energy system".

The record haul came as the industry giant admitted there has been a jump in customers missing payments or cancelling direct debits because of the impact of punishingly high bills.

While British Gas announced an extra £50million to help struggling customers, that was dwarfed by more than £520m in rewards for investors through dividends and another share buyback programme.

And as households battle to pay their bills, the energy provider is sitting on £600m of customers' money built up through credit balances.