HomeCutting your energy bills

Cutting your Energy Bills

Quick Guide to Cutting your Electric/Gas Bills

There are several ways of reducing your electric or gas bills:elec bill

  • Focus on ensuring you are getting the cheapest price from your current supplier
  • Changing to another supplier
  • Ensuring you are using the fuel as efficiently as possible.

Getting the Cheapest Tariff from your current supplier

 

Online tariffs and direct debit

The cheapest tariffs tend to be dual fuel (getting your electric and gas from the same supplier), direct debit and on-line paperless billing

If you have an email account and internet access you may be able to save money on your energy bills by moving to an online tariff and paying by direct debit.

If you don’t have the internet at home it may be possible to use the computer at your local library or children’s centre.

You can use a price comparison site or ring your supplier to check if they have introduced a cheaper tariff. Make sure the terms and payment methods suit you. Contact your supplier with your meter readings (or use their website) and ask to move onto this tariff. This move should take effect from the date you requested it.

Social Tariffs

Check if you can get your supplier’s social tariff. These reduced cost schemes are provided by the energy companies for some customers over 60, or receiving benefits such as Pension Credit , Income Support, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit, Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance or spending more than 10% of household income on energy.

 

Making Sure You Are on The Best Electric/Gas Tariff

Using a price comparison website to cut your fuel bills

You can find the cheapest tariff by using a price comparison service. You can use the internet or phone them. These independent price comparison service help thousands of households every month to compare prices and switch to better deals. They offer a comprehensive service that compares your current supplier’s tariffs and usage with those of all the major suppliers. They help you find the best deal and provide you with a free and easy-to-use switching service whether you have a credit or a pre-payment meter. Sites accredited by Consumer Focus, the statutory watchdog for energy consumers, include:

http://www.which.co.uk/switch/?m=home&cid=consumerfocus or 0199 282 2867       

http://www.moneysupermarket.com or 0845 345 1296

http://www.confused.com/gas-electricity?MediaCode=413

http://www.energyhelpline.com or 0800 074 0745

http://www.uswitch.com   or 0800 404 7908    

http://www.simplyswitch.com or 0800 111 395

Prepayment Meters

If you have a prepayment meter (and owe your supplier less than £200) you can still switch suppliers.

Check gas and electricity deals separately on the price comparison sites as dual fuel deals will not always give you the best prepayment meter deal.

Ebico is a ‘not for profit’ supplier who may be able to offer you a better deal as they charge all customers the same rates regardless of payment method. They can be contacted on 0800 458 7689 or at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

If you could pay by direct debit it may be worth asking your supplier to replace the prepayment meter with a credit meter.

Using the price comparison websites

To use these sites you will need to have the following information ready:-

  • Your post code
  • The name of your current supplier
  • *The tariff you are on (e.g. Standard Dual Fuel)
  • Your annual energy usage or costs.

Suppliers now have to send you an annual statement with this information. If you keep this statement this information can be used to give you an accurate comparison.

*Further information about the various tariffs can be found at www.consumerfocus.org.uk

For more information about understanding your energy bills visit here

If you do decide to switch supplier

  • First check if your current tariff has any cancellation charges or is due to have an annual or quarterly discount applied to your account
  • Get in touch with the new supplier, make sure you are happy with the contract terms, then sign the new deal with them
  • Give your new supplier a meter reading on the day you change supplier (it’s worth keeping this)
  • Pay the final bill from your old supplier

The new supplier will manage the switch for you and this takes about 6-8 weeks.

If after signing the new contract you are unhappy about this decision, you have up to 7 working days to cancel the contract. Do check that both the new and old suppliers use your meter readings on their bills. Keep the new contract terms.

Help to make Your Home Warmer and More Energy Efficient

Check if there is any help you could get to make your home more energy efficient by phoning the Energy Saving Trust on 0300 123 1234 who will tell you about any grants available.

Wiltshire Council has a Home Energy Efficiency Officer who can also give you advice on energy efficiency and grants. Please contact us on 0300 456 0100 or at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

 In June 2011, Wiltshire Council launched its own home insulation scheme: ‘Wiltshire Warm and Well’, to provide loft and cavity wall insulation to Wiltshire residents. More information