British Gas owner Centrica has seen its profits climb to more than £3 billion for 2022 amid a cost-of-living crisis across the country.
The energy giant reported underlying operating profits of £3.3 billion against profits of £948 million in 2021. Stripping out its Spirit Energy businesses that were sold, underlying earnings for the group jumped to £2.8 billion from £392 million the previous year.
The earnings haul for last year has stoked anger over a run of massive profits notched up in the sector and reinforced calls for greater windfall taxes. Its figures also come amid a furore over Centrica's use of debt collectors to install expensive pre-payment meters by force in the homes of vulnerable cash-strapped customers.
