Electricity bills are headed higher for British households even though costs in the wholesale market are falling, a phenomena that one utility blamed on the government and grid operators.

Bulb Energy Ltd. became the first energy supplier to raise its prices, citing higher network and policy costs. It blamed a 3% increase in the charges it pays for grid maintenance and expansion for the higher consumer rates.

Other suppliers will be facing similar pressures and are likely to raise prices too, said Stephen Murray, an energy specialist at MoneySuperMarket, a price comparison provider.

Suppliers usually make price changes in early April, Murray said. “I don’t think Bulb will be on their own.”

The amount that energy companies charge customers for power and gas has come under intense scrutiny in Britain with the energy regulator, Ofgem, enforcing a cap on the amount that customers on default tariffs have to pay. With…