One of the biggest energy providers in the UK has said its dual fuel tariff is now just under £5000 a year.

Despite the Ofgem price cap being currently £1971, and due to rise even further in October and again in January with bills of more than £4000 expected, EDF Energy said it is currently charging even more.

The Glasgow Times asked all the Big Six providers to explain their tariffs and why prepayment customers paid higher rates.

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EDF was the only one to respond with an explanation of its tariffs and a cost.

The French state-owned company said it currently has two tariffs available for domestic customers, with one including a boiler care package.

It offers an Easy Online+BoilerCareGold Aug24v4 and a Fix Total Service Aug24v4.

It explained the “easy online tariff is for online customers only and includes six months of boiler maintenance on us".

However, when it went on to explain the cost of the tariff it stated a price that is more than double the current cap and higher than the expected increase in October.

A spokesperson for EDF Energy said: “The cost for both tariffs is £4999 per year for a dual fuel monthly direct debit customer, for an average user set at national average prices.

“Due to global and sustained market volatility, our prices continue to vary in line with market conditions and are subject to change.”

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The Glasgow Times asked for the per unit cost of gas and electricity and for the standing charges.

EDF said: “Across the energy industry, tariff prices are based on a variety of factors, many of which are outside of our control and vary by location, such as network costs and cost of supply and distribution.

“These locational costs are primarily associated with network costs for both electricity and gas as well as the costs of distribution and supply. The domestic energy market is segmented into 14 different regions which all have different network, distribution and supply costs associated with them.

“As costs and prices vary between regions we’re unable to provide you with a breakdown of standing charges and unit costs right now.”

Ofgem set the cap at 28p per kWh for electricity with a standing charge of 45p per day.

For gas, it is 7p per kWh and 27p per day for standing charge.

On EDF’s website, it states for south of Scotland the electricity per unit is 54.55p and the unit cost is 27.61p per kWh

For gas the standing charge is 37.28p and the unit cost is 7.3p per kWh

The Glasgow Times asked EDF to explain the difference between the current price cap of £1971 and the tariff of £4999.

EDF did not respond.

Ofgem states the price cap “applies if you’re on a default energy tarrif, whether you pay by direct debit, standard credit or a prepayment meter".

It adds: “It won’t apply if you are on a fixed term energy tariff or have chosen a standard variable green energy tariff, Ofgem has exempted from the cap.

An Ofgem spokesperson said: “Protecting customers is our top priority and we expect all suppliers to offer standard variable tariffs, which are covered by the price cap, to new customers.”

It also stated: “Where we see suppliers refusing to offer a price cap protected tariff to customers, we will engage with them as appropriate.”