Cut your heating costs before the cold comes back
Temperatures are set to plummet again later in February so before the chill sets in it's a good time to think about your heating costs. This is particularly true if you're an npower customer, as the energy giant has just announced an average price rise of £109 per year for customers on its standard dual fuel (gas and electricity combined) tariffs.
You don't need to switch supplier to save, although you may well save more by doing so, but if you're sat on your supplier's standard tariff it's likely you're paying more than you need to, as npower's price rise shows.
Here's a rundown of the cheapest deals available right now.
The cheapest energy deals
Here's a round-up of the cheapest tariffs right now if you opt for both fuels from one supplier (known as dual fuel), pay by monthly direct debit and manage your account online. The price includes both the unit rate and any standing charge.
Energy supplier | Tariff name | Type of tariff | Average UK price* |
Flex4 12 Month Fixed Direct Debit | Fixed for 12 months | £834 | |
Tonik Energy Positive Energy V2 | Fixed for 12 months | £880 | |
Direct Saver 2017 v2 | Fixed for 12 months | £889 | |
Simple and Savvy | Fixed for 12 months | £890 | |
Fixed until February 2018 | Fixed (until February 2018) | £893 | |
So Gorilla | Fixed for 12 months | £897 | |
iFix 12-Month Jan18 v2 | Fixed for 12 months | £902 |
Source: UK Power
Prices based on average consumption as measured by Ofgem of 12,500kWh of gas and 3,100kWh of electricity and a customer paying by monthly direct debit including VAT.
Bear in mind the price of your energy will be based on your postcode and so may be more expensive, or even cheaper, than the ones listed.
Other things to consider
Fixing your energy bills is a bit of a gamble, much in the same way as fixing your mortgage rate. That's because prices could come down, which means you end up paying more than you would have done if you were on a variable or even a shorter-term fix.
Having said that, the general trend for gas and electricity prices is to only go one way and that's upwards, certainly over the long term, although they may fluctuate within a year.
If there's not much difference between companies, you might want to also consider how good each is when it comes to customer service.
The energy sector as a whole isn't renowned for being brilliant when it comes to dealing with its customers. The smaller companies generally do better, but that's not always the case.
See if one simple search can save you hundreds on your gas and electricity bills
