Adjusted pre-tax profit of Scottish & Southern Energy (SSE) increased by 0.6% to £1.31 billion. The dividend is increased by 7.1% with the increase in profits.

The company has announced to give a total dividend of 75p for this year, up from 75p, last year. SSE's Chairman, Lord Smith of Kelvin said that the company is one of just six FTSE 100 companies, which have increased their dividend every year since 1999, when the company paid its first dividend. He further added that the main aim of the company was to raise the dividend above the rate of inflation, every year.

Regardless of lower-than-expected output of renewable energy and higher-than-forecast wholesale gas prices, SSE gained another increase in adjusted profit before tax.

SSE has warned that wholesale gas and electricity prices for the coming year may rise by as much as 33%. After the announcement, SSE had become the second big company to indicate a price rise this year. First warning of the price rise was issued by Centrica, earlier this month.

The Bank of England has also said that expected rise in energy prices is one the main reasons behind its recent prediction that the inflation rate may rise even further this year.