The product-testing and consumer campaigning organisation Which? shares some practical, straightforward advice to help you cut your energy bills. Compare and switch to a new gas and electricity supplier.
Use a website like Which? Switch to get an impartial view of all current tariff options. All the money that is made by Which? Switch helps fund its campaign activities. Customers can save an average of £217 a year. There are several things to consider when choosing an energy tariff. Here are some top tips:
- Get your annual statement from your supplier or your last year's worth of bills to find the tariff(s) you're on and how much gas and electricity (kWh) you use.
- Compare the deals available to you and consider paying by direct debit and managing your account online as this will usually earn you a discount.
- You might consider a fixed or capped tariff to protect yourself from future price rises. But they're likely to be more expensive at first.
- Before you switch, check the terms and conditions and be aware of exit fees that may apply if you leave the tariff within a set period.
- Use an energy comparison calculator.
In a telesales investigation conducted by Which? in a third of the calls made, researchers were not told about the exit fees that applied to the tariffs recommended. So ask explicitly about exit fees.
- You can get a discount off your energy bills if you pay by monthly direct debit.
- Prevent your account running up a big debit or credit balance by giving your supplier regular readings.
- If you don't want to set up a direct debit and prefer to pay by cash or cheques, some companies offer a discount for paying your bill promptly. It is worth asking.
There are a huge number of tariffs on the market - here's a quick
introduction to the different types available: Dual fuel tariffs, Online energy tariffs, Fixed-price energy tariffs, Capped tariffs and Off-peak electricity tariffs.
