From switching suppliers to bagging the best deals, here’s clever ways to save money on your energy bills
Make sure you're not spending too much on your energy with our expert advice
GREEDY British Gas stuck two fingers up at their customers this week by hiking bills for the second time in under a year.
But today we will show you how you can do exactly the same to them — by switching to a better deal with another supplier.
The latest rise of £60 a year for a typical dual fuel customer — of which the firm has 4.1million — follows a £76 rise last September and comes despite a string of pledges by the firm to clean up its act after years of ripping off families.
But nothing has changed. Power giants such as British Gas continue to lure new customers with teaser rates, normally lasting a year, then whack up prices.
Two thirds of British Gas’s customers are on these pricier standard rates and will next month see their bills rise to £1,161 a year.
Around 1.3 million EDF customers were also told this week that they must pay more from June as the cost of the standard variable electricity tariff is to rise by 1.4 per cent, or £16 a year.
You can try commercial sites, such as and uSwitch, but they take kickbacks from energy firms so might suggest pricier deals.
Stay with supplier... but save
FAMILIES who have been with their energy supplier for more than a year should be able to get a better deal by calling their firm.
It is an easy option if you don’t want to switch supplier, or you don’t have the time to shop around for quotes which could save you money.
The idea is that you never worry about bills and won’t get hit by a big hike. The service, launched in January this year, has 5,000 people signed up, saving more than £250 each every year by not being caught out by price hikes when their deals end.
Will Hodson, founder of Look After My Bills, adds: “It’s a disgrace how many people get ripped off. It’s usually because they are so busy.
“But Look After My Bills ensures you’re always on a cracking deal.”
The company plans to expand into broadband, phone and home insurance.
Perry: my autopilot for bills is just great
FORMER black cab driver Perry Denn signed up to new online service Look After My Bills because he often forgets to switch suppliers.
The company is taking care of his energy bills and has pledged to switch him on to a good-value deal at the end of every fixed contract.
For Perry, 47, from Sutton, South London that means a saving of £60 a month. The dad-of-two was previously paying £130 a month to E.on but has since been switched to a £70 tariff with small supplier The People’s Energy.
He says: “Bills creep up and you just forget to do anything about it or are too lazy.
“I had an e-mail from this new company Look After My Bills and it said, ‘Let us take care of your deals for ever.’ I thought that sounded good. Now I don’t have to think about it again. It has already reduced my bills.”