Financial analysts have said that Centrica, which owns British Gas, will be forced to scrap plans to return more cash to shareholders because of the ongoing opposition from politicians and other sectors of the society to the increasing gas prices.

Centrica has already returned £412 million to investors through a share buyback programme that began in February. The company had said that it would spend around £500 million on the scheme but it is believed that the political pressure on the firm will force it to abandon plans for further share buyback. Centrica chief executive Sam Laidlaw has said in August that the firm might increase payouts to the investors.

UBS and Credit Suisse analysts have said that the firm might be forced to cancels plans for additional payouts due to criticism over increasing household fuel bills. According to estimates, the value of energy bills has risen to twice their levels since 2000.

Meanwhile, British regulators have said that they have not found any evidence of market manipulation in the energy sector in the UK following concerns that the prices are rising due to alleged relationships between firms. Ofgem and financial watchdog the FCA have given a clean chit to the energy firms in the country. British Gas, SSE, Scottish Power, npower, EDF and E. ON as well as smaller suppliers will appear to the Parliament for providing evidence to the Energy and Climate Change Committee about recent price increases.