Gas and electricity bills

You can save up to 25 per cent if you change your supplier of gas and electricity.

You only need to sign the correct forms and take a meter reading when you change your supplier. You only get a different way of billing and contacts from your new supplier in case of a problem. The pipes do not change or are tampered with.

You should compare prices between companies at least once a year as energy prices usually rise each year. 2006 was no exception as Powergen raised gas prices by 24.4 per cent and British Gas raised electricity prices by 22 per cent. Try to switch providers after all the major companies like these have increased their prices and no more are expected for some time.

A few comparison services permanently pay cashback if you compare and switch. It takes about 2 months or less to receive this and is paid by cheque or electronically. It is only paid when the price comparison service can complete the switch for you. If you can find a price comparison company who can offer this, consider the money you will receive from this if you use their service when working out who offers the best deal.

You may find it helpful to have copies of your last bills as figures to compare, but some companies can estimate your usage for you.

You can save up to 10 per cent through paying by direct debit, making a fixed monthly payment direct from your bank account.

Be aware that buying gas and electricity from the same supplier is not usually cheaper and some price comparison sites do not list all the deals available, so try a couple of sites to be absolutely sure.

A few price comparison services offer cashback for anyone who switched using its services, keep this in mind when comparing prices.

If you are looking for ethical tariffs, some comparison companies allow you to compare only these companies.

People over the age of 60 years old can buy gas and electricity (must be both) from StayWarm at a flat fee depending on the number of people and rooms in your house, not on how much you use, so keep this in mind if you qualify for this.

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As everyone's circumstances are different, it is not possible to say which price comparison company is best. Certainly Uswitch should be one you should be considering to use as there are good reports about the service they run. Energy Helpline and UK Power are also companies which are useful and can list by price, service or green tariffs. However do not be afraid to use some or all of the other price comparison companies listed below as one provider may not cover all individual gas and electricity companies and another price comparison company may provide cashback which makes it more worthwhile using them rather than another price comparison company which simply compares prices. Definitely start with price comparison companies rather than individual gas and electricity suppliers for all the above reasons.

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