British Gas axes 1,310 jobs

British Gas owner Centrica slashed 1,310 jobs today as it promised to cut gas and electricity bills in the spring.

The firm, which said it had lost 978,000 customer accounts in the year to date, will close its headquarters in Stockley Park, Middlesex in England, and relocate to Staines.

Centrica said 700 roles will go at the British Gas Residential Energy back office, including administrators and workers processing household bills, while 340 will be cut in British Gas Services and a further 270 will disappear from the corporate side.

It came as Centrica said a fall in wholesale gas prices would trigger a fall in household energy bills in the spring of 2007.