Is your energy bill about to rocket? Thousands of households face £200 energy bill hike this summer
A total of 54 fixed energy deals - including those from EDF Energy, British Gas, Scottish Power and nPower - are due to expire before the end of the summer
THOUSANDS of households could see their energy bill rocket by around £200 by the end of the summer.
A total of 54 fixed energy deals - including those from EDF Energy, British Gas, Scottish Power and nPower - are due to expire before the end of August.
Unless customers act now they will be automatically rolled onto more expensive tariff just as the colder weather kicks in, comparison website warned today.
It claims that households could see their bills rise by £192 on average if they don’t find a new deal before their current one ends.
Energy bills are on the rise compared with the same time last year but there are still some competitive deals to be found.
Stephen Murray, energy expert at MoneySuperMarket, said: “Even though the price of average fixed rate tariffs has jumped significantly in the last 12 months, switching to one still means customers can significantly minimise the increase they will see by rolling over onto a standard variable tariff.
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“The switching process doesn’t take long, but those households with deals ending in June need to act now to maximise the benefit.”
Many fixed tariffs include exit penalties if you wish to leave before the end of the deal, but it’s possible to switch fee-free up to 45 days before the end-date.
HOW TO FIND A CHEAPER ENERGY DEAL
FIRSTLY, you'll need to have a recent bill to hand. This will have all the details you need, including the name of your tariff and your recent spending on gas.
Use a comparison website like uSwitch.com or Energyhelpline.com to compare tariffs and find a cheaper deal. You could save up to £400 a year if you've never switched before.
Other services like MoneySavingExpert's Cheap Enegy Club will let you set up an email reminder that alerts you when cheaper deals become available.
Compare prices and before you switch check to see if you can get cachback from a website like Quidco or TopCashback.
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