british regulators tuesday warned energy companies against exploiting elevated prices and told financial firms to avoid doing the same over surging interest rates as stubbornlyhigh inflation fuels a costofliving crisis energy bills rocketed and remain high after key gas producer russia invaded neighbour ukraine last year sparking vast state subsidies to cushion the blow to consumers but such help has dwindled leaving millions of britons with bills still about twice the cost of gas and electricity compared with 18 months ago even with temperatures warmer and the days longer energy regulator ofgem on tuesday warned britains domestic energy providers to retain profits to help cashstrapped customers  instead of rewarding shareholders with bumper dividends suppliers must reciprocate the support the sector was given by consumers and taxpayers when wholesale prices increased by behaving responsibly as prices fall and profits return ofgem boss jonathan brearley wrote in a letter to providers ofgem said it expects suppliers to act responsibly and in the interests of their customers and would take action if it finds evidence of any breaches of its pricing rules uk annual inflation unexpectedly held at 87 percent in may causing the bank of england boe to hike its key interest rate by a larger than expected amount at the same time commercial lenders stand accused of ramping up their own loan rates and failing to boost savings rates further hitting britons in the pocket the financial conduct authority regulator has summoned bosses from top uk banks to discuss concern over the treatment of savers chief executives from barclays hsbc lloyds banking group and natwest are expected to attend fca talks thursday the boe lifted its interest rate in june for the 13th month in a row to five percent as it sought to bring down inflation in line with its remit government minister jonny mercer has slammed banks for profiteering by failing to pass on hikes to savers while hiking mortgage costs the average easyaccess savings rate currently stands at only 243 percent according to moneyfacts britons are struggling also with skyhigh food inflation while supermarkets selling petrol are profiting from high prices at the pump spokesman for prime minister rishi sunak responded monday by saying it isnt right that at a time when people are struggling with rising living costs drivers arent receiving a fair deal for fuel and instead being overcharged by retailers britains competition watchdog is looking into accusations that supermarkets are profiteering from higher prices and whether wholesale pricereductions are being passed on fast enough