Compare energy prices and switch

Your energy bills are likely to increase in the next few months if they haven't already. This is because of a range of factors that have caused the price of wholesale energy to rocket. This means it costs energy suppliers more to buy the energy they supply customers with, and they therefore have to charge customers more to cover themselves financially.

The few fixed energy deals that are now available are likely to be extremely expensive, with standard variable tariffs now at the cheaper end of the market. If you're coming off a fixed deal, you're almost certainly going to have to pay more for your energy than you have been. A standard variable tariff, though, might be the most affordable option for you. Consider your options carefully and take a look at our energy market Q&A for more information.

One way to reduce the amount you pay for your energy is to track how much you're using. Check that your bill is based on actual readings of your gas and electricity meters rather than estimated ones. It’s important to take your own readings so that you get charged accurately. Or consider getting a smart meter, which provides real-time meter readings and can help you monitor your energy usage — you can request one from your supplier or switch to a smart meter tariff.

It's going to be difficult, given the current state of the energy market, for many customers to find a cheap gas and electricity deal. Energy prices have risen by a significant amount, with deals hundreds of pounds more expensive than they were a year ago.

It may be the case that a standard variable tariff, which is capped at £1,277 until 1 April 2022, is the cheapest deal available for many customers. Fixed deals are now extremely expensive and could lock you in for a long time. Consider your options carefully and check out our energy Q&A here for more information.

At the moment, there probably isn't a "best" time to switch energy supplier given the volatility of the energy market and the rocketing prices of many energy deals. Nobody can predict where energy prices are likely to go next. If you're on a fixed deal, it's advisable to stay on it until it ends, as it's probably a lower price than most deals on the market at the moment. If you're on a standard variable tariff, these are capped at £1,277 per year until 1 April 2022, which again is probably lower than most deals on the market, so it may be advisable to stay on it until the energy market settles down. Assess the situation and use our energy Q&A if you need more information.

Since the price cap's introduction, it's fair to say that it hasn't really helped cut people's energy bills. The standard variable tariffs it applies to have still been the most expensive on the market, especially when compared to fixed deals.

However, with energy prices rocketing, fixed deals are now being priced far above the cap's current level of £1,277. This means that the price cap is now doing the job it was designed for - though it won’t cut your energy bills per se, standard variable customers will be protected from prices higher than £1,277 until 1 April 2022. Find out more about the energy price cap in our guide.

The cheapest energy supplier for someone else isn’t necessarily the cheapest for you. That’s why we compare energy suppliers tailored to you to get the best energy deals.

Energy suppliers vary their pricing by region and your bill will also depend on your usage. Different energy suppliers also target different types of household, so some might offer their cheapest gas and electricity deal to a family home with high usage, while someone living alone with low usage might find a cheap energy deal with a different supplier.

The best gas and electricity supplier for you won’t necessarily be the cheapest. You can use Uswitch to filter by what’s important to you, whether that’s a large supplier or one that offers green energy plans.

We also know customer service is important, so we’ve assigned each supplier star ratings based on our energy customer satisfaction report to help you compare energy suppliers, from the well-known ‘big six’ to the smaller suppliers you might not be so familiar with.

We only work with trusted energy suppliers and run a yearly customer satisfaction report so you can see how each supplier performs in a wide range of categories from customer service to value for money, green services to smart meter installation. Click on ‘plan info’ in your energy comparison results and we’ll show you the supplier’s star rating based on real customer reviews. You can also learn more about each of the suppliers we work with here.

Green energy has become more accessible in recent years, and most suppliers now offer at least one renewable or green energy plan. We’ll highlight green plans in your energy comparison results, and you can even filter your results to show only green energy plans.

If you don’t want to switch energy supplier, you still might be able to find a cheap gas and electricity deal with Uswitch. If you haven’t switched energy before it’s likely that you’re on your provider’s standard variable or default tariff, which is typically the most expensive type of plan on offer. You can use Uswitch to compare energy deals from your current provider if you’re happy with the service but want to save on your energy bills.

Yes, you can switch energy if you’re on a prepayment meter. Just select ‘Prepayment meter’ when you’re asked how you pay your energy bills. You can tell you’re on a prepayment meter if you pay in advance with a smart card, token or key. You can also choose to switch away from using a prepayment meter by replacing it with a credit meter.

Yes, you can switch to a better energy deal if you’re a tenant. The only exception is if your landlord pays the energy bills or if energy charges are included in your rent. If your name is on your energy bill you have the right to switch energy supplier and save on your bills.

You’re not trapped with your current supplier, even if you’re in debit on your account. Many suppliers take payments based on estimated energy usage, so it’s common to owe your supplier money if you use a little more energy than expected. You should be able to switch energy with no problems if you’ve been in debt to your supplier for less than 28 days, or if you owe less than £500 on a prepayment meter. Otherwise you will need to repay what you owe before you switch to a new energy supplier. Read more in our guide.

There’s no need to get in touch with your old supplier once you’ve made your energy switch. Once they’ve received notification of your switch, the supplier should send a final bill and close your old account once you’ve paid any outstanding amount. While there’s no need to cancel your direct debit, you can do this through your bank if you want to be more confident you won’t still be charged – just remember to settle your final bill first.

If you’re moving home, you should inform your energy supplier at least 48 hours in advance so they can arrange to close your account or set you up at your new property. Your supplier will arrange to send your final bill to your new address. Remember to take a meter reading on your last day at the property to ensure your final bill is accurate. 

Once you’ve moved into your new home, you should also take a meter reading and contact the supplier at the new property. They can transfer the account into your name, but remember that it might not be the best energy deal for you. Moving into a new property is a great time to shop around for a cheaper energy deal on a site like Uswitch. Find out more about switching energy and moving home in our guide.

A dual fuel tariff is an energy plan that offers both gas and electricity from the same energy supplier. This can sometimes work out to be the cheapest way to pay for your gas and electricity, and it means only having to deal with one energy supplier. You can find out more about dual fuel energy and compare energy for dual fuel deals here.

Yes, while you can compare dual fuel prices with Uswitch you can also choose to compare gas prices or compare electricity prices separately, depending on your needs.

Not all households use both types of energy and many energy suppliers offer tariffs for just one type of fuel. You can also compare gas and electricity separately if you wish to choose different suppliers for each instead of using a dual fuel tariff.

In Great Britain, around four million households do not use mains gas for heating, according to Ofgem. Just over half of all non-gas households use electricity as their primary heating source.

If you don't require a gas tariff for your home, you can search for separate electricity-only tariffs. When you compare energy prices with Uswitch, we'll ask if you use gas in your home. If you answer no, we'll show you electricity-only tariffs that could save you money.

If you use both gas and electricity but want to compare tariffs from different suppliers, you can choose to see these separately by choosing 'show me electricity plans' on your results page.

While most households use electricity and will require both an electricity and gas plan, you can also choose to have separate suppliers or tariffs for each fuel.

There are a number of gas-only suppliers and many standard energy suppliers also offer separate gas-only tariffs.

If you'd like to compare gas tariffs with Uswitch, simply compare energy deals as normal and select 'show me gas only plans' on your results page. You'll be able to easily compare gas-only plans and dual fuel tariffs to see which is the best energy deal for you.