Keeping your energy costs down this winter

Dear Cash Queens

I’ve ended up in debt to my energy supplier and I’m worried about the thought of a big winter bill ahead. I keep hearing you can save money by switching, but I feel trapped because I owe my energy supplier a bit of money. Is there any way I can switch to a cheaper deal, as that would mean I can try to get back on top of my bills. Mary Whittle, Cornwall

Cash Queens say:

You are not alone. Recent figures from comparison site uSwitch revealed one in 10 people are heading into winter already owing money to their energy supplier – at an average £121.

But, the good news is that if you are in debt to your supplier by less than £500 you are usually still able to switch on to a better deal.

When you consider the average energy bill is £1,135 and you can find deals at more than £300 less than that, it really can pay to ensure you are on the best tariff to suit your needs. Saving hundreds of pounds a year could be the difference between being able to keep up and pay your energy bill or ending up in debt.

We chatted to the experts at Energyhelpline, which runs the Daily Mirror’s switching service, and they recommend that people should think about opting for a fixed rate energy deal.

That way you will have some peace of mind that you won’t face any nasty energy bill hikes over the winter months ahead.

Here are five of the cheapest fixed energy deals currently available:

Iresa: 12 month fixed Direct Debit – average cost £820

Avro Energy: Simple and Superior – average cost £836 Green Network Energy: GNE Italian Touch 12 Month Fixed V9 – £847 Bulb Vari-fair – £855 E.On: (cheapest of big six) Go Online 1 Year v2 Paperless – £898

Check out the Mirror’s energy switching service at mirror.co.uk/ energy or call 0800 0836 632 to see if you can switch on to a better deal and save a bit of cash ahead of the big winter chill.