The second largest energy supplier wants to give customers “peace of mind” over mounting speculation that energy prices will rise this winter.

Will Morris, managing director, retail, at SSE, said no matter what happens it will not increase its standard household energy prices during the winter, until at least next April.

He said: “This follows our unique two and a half year price freeze in March 2014, since which time we’ve also cut prices three times for our standard customers as we work to keep prices as low as possible for as long as possible.

“No-one should be faced with the prospect of a cold home this winter. As well as keeping prices lower for longer, there’s lots more we can do to help – whether it’s energy efficiency advice, a tariff review, financial assistance or simply a manageable payment plan – so I’d encourage anyone who is concerned to let us know so we can assist.”

Stephen Murray, energy expert at MoneySuperMarket, said that while this is good news, customers shouldn’t be lulled into a false sense of security.

“Customers who are on a big six standard tariff are still paying £200 per year more than the cheapest tariffs on the market, many of which are fixed for one year or more. Just last week we revealed that the best value deals had increased in price by 7% in the space of two months, so now is the time for households to take action before the standard tariffs start to increase also.”