Concerns raised over energy deals

CHEAPER energy deals are vanishing from the market ahead of a new price cap, analysis from Which? has found.

It looked at how many deals priced at £1,000 a year or less for a medium energy user were available at the start of the year compared with now.

There are just eight tariffs costing less than £1,000 a year - compared with 77 dual-fuel tariffs to choose from across Britain in January - the consumer group found, according to analysis which it said was correct on December 14.

Which? said its analysis will add to concerns that energy suppliers may reduce the number of cheaper deals on the market, to make up for money they might lose on their more expensive default tariffs after the cap to prevent people overpaying for energy on default tariffs comes into force on January 1.

The cap - set at £1,137 per year for a medium domestic dual-fuel customer paying by direct debit - will save households around £75 a year on average, according to Ofgem.

Currently, switching is still an effective way of saving money on your energy bills, it said.

Which? said it believes the energy cap must be accompanied by a drive to engage consumers, while suppliers must look for innovative ways to give their customers a better deal and improve customer service.

It said Ofgem should also closely monitor and report on how the cap affects cheaper deals on the market to ensure that customers will still be incentivised to switch and save money.

Alex Neill, Which? managing director of home products and services, said: “The price cap is supposed to help consumers, so it is a real cause for concern that some of the best-value deals seem to have disappeared from the market just as it is introduced.”

“This demonstrates why the cap can only be a temporary fix - what is now needed is real reform to promote competition, innovation and improved customer service in the broken energy market.”