Why it is Important to Stay on top of Gas and Electricity Deals this March

11-Mar-2010

March is usually the black month for Britain's bill payers, as it is the time when suppliers send out statements that cover winter energy usage.  And hasn't it been cold this year!  Freezing weather, plus sky-high energy prices are guaranteed to make you feel afraid of your next bill.  If you have recently received such a statement, you will know what this is about.  £500 or more will be a common quarterly charge for a normal household this time around.

The first thing to do after you have picked yourself up from the floor, will be to ask yourself: when was the last time I looked for a cheaper energy supplier and am I still getting value for money? If you have switched energy supplier before, you know how easy it is to find a better deal and switch to it.  You will also know that customer loyalty is not rewarded by most suppliers.  Staying on with your supplier means that you may be missing out on a better deal that has come along since.

The table below looks at some of the market leading deals that were available at this time last year, and compares to the best offers today. Not surprisingly, most of those deals are now far more expensive than the best deals around today.  It pays to keep on top of energy, just look at these examples below.

Supplier*               Q1 2009 Lead Discount Tariff         Difference to Best Offer today

British Gas             Click Energy 5                                   14% more expensive
E.ON                      Energy OnlineExtra Saver  v13         15% more expensive
EDF Energy           Annual Fix v1                                    19% more expensive
npower                   Sign Online v15                                16% more expensive
ScottishPower        Online Energy Saver v7                    10% more expensive

So for your own peace of mind, visit SimplyFinance's easy Utilities Comparison Tool, which compares 14,000 up-to-date live tariffs across the country, in seconds.  More likely than not, you will find a big saving for your home. 

For the most accurate comparison, look at your last bill and take note of the exact name of the tariff that you are currently using.  If it is not clear which tariff you are on, call your supplier and ask.

And here is our final piece of advice: Customers often ask us when the best time to switch is? The common sense answer is - typically you should look in autumn before it gets cold, because you want to be on the best available rates by the time you need to heat your home. But there never is a bad time!

* Scottish and Southern Energy did not have a comparable discount tariff available in Q1 2009, and are therefore not included. Calculations based on 20,500kWh gas usage and 3,500kWh electricity usage in London. Results may vary in other parts of the country.

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Florian Ritzmann is Product Director at online comparison service Xelector.com and has been working with energy suppliers for ten years.