Record numbers flick the switch as winter arrives
HOUSEHOLDS are working harder than ever to keep their energy bills under control as colder weather and darker nights threaten to send bills through the roof.
Record numbers are switching supplier, with more than 600,000 moving last month, UK Energy reported yesterday.
So far 2019 has seen energy switching at an all-time high, with more than six million expected to have changed by the end of the year.
The energy price cap was cut by £25 to £1,217 from the start of this month, but there are far cheaper deals available if you make the effort to shop around.
Households could save up to £353 by switching to the current cheapest deal, the One Variable 7.0 paperless tariff from Outfox The Market charging £864, according to research from auto-switching service Migrate. Chief executive George Chalmers said with the nights closing in and the weather getting colder and wetter, now is the time to act: “Winter is where we use the most energy on heating our homes and spending more time inside, so a poor value tariff can have a huge impact.”
Cordelia Samson, energy expert at uSwitch.com, said consider moving to a fixed-rate tariff: “These cost less than £1,000 a year now, with the guarantee that the price won’t change for at least 12 months.”
She added: “Several of the Big Six suppliers are offering cheap deals alongside a smart meter to increase take-up.”
MoneySupermarket.com energy expert Stephen Murray said: “The energy market is thriving with dozens of suppliers offering choice, competitive tariffs and good customer service.”