Why you should consider switching your energy supplier and how to do it

We spend a lot of money on heating and on electricity in our family home. One of the easiest ways to save money is to check your usage, compare supplier offers and switch to a better deal. Ofgem, the government’s Office of Gas and Electricity Markets, asked us to check out the Be an Energy Shopper site that helps you understand your energy bills, and what to do if you want to find a better deal. Please note, this post is written in collaboration with Ofgem. 

Our three bedroom Victorian end of terrace takes a huge chunk out of our monthly wallets to maintain.  It is probably the old windows and the roof in need of repair that make the biggest impact on our heating bills, and the fact that there is always someone in means we use plenty of electricity too. 

However, I have always suspected we also pay too much to our supplier. Currently our projection for the next 12 months is £1399. After checking on one of the Ofgem approved comparison sites I found out we could save around £200. That would be a big bonus that we could spend on small DIY projects, or perhaps even put towards our window fund in an effort to make our house more energy-efficient. In another home, that extra cash could provide funds to heat the house more, ensuring better health and more comfortable living.  

We have never switched our supplier, other than when we moved houses and left the old supplier behind and took over the new house and its existing supplier. Actually deciding to switch suppliers has always felt like a major effort. So I figured I would have a look to see if it really is such a faff. 

After looking through the page that describes how to switch suppliers, it actually is really simple. 

All you need to do is identify a good deal (by using the comparison sites), and give them few pieces of information. You need your postcode, the name of current supplier, the name of your current energy deal and how much you spend on this (check your recent bill for this!), an up-to-date meter reading and your bank details if paying by direct debit. Direct debit is worth considering as you can often get extra good deals doing that. The price comparison website will do all the work for you and switching will take about 3 weeks.  If you want to do the switching yourself check out the Be An Energy Shopper site for advice

Your old supplier should refund you any credit you have with them, or you might have to pay them for any current debits so check ahead to avoid surprises. And before you do any of this, you might also let your current supplier know you are thinking of switching and see if they can give you an even better deal. 

So, switching suppliers looks easy and you could save money. I am definitely considering switching now! 

Have you ever switched energy suppliers? How did it go?

You might also like: Our renovation story Part 1 - our new home, Our old and new home, and Using self-storage to help house move

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