Possible additions for Martin to include...

Ducks_Bum

on 'How to cut energy costs' on the front page

1) Checking if you're on Economy 7 or not with your existing supplier. If you're not getting the best use of this during the night, you could be paying around about 20% extra during the day for your electric rates. It's easy way of bringing your electric price down and most people who are on it probably think it's cheaper because its called 'ECONOMY 7'

2) Contacting your existing customer to go on their tariffs that help vulnerable customers. Npower have just set up a tariff called Spreading Warmth which gives customers who earn under 13.5k and are either eldery/under 16/ chronically sick or disabled, 125 quid per fuel they have with them regardless of payment type.

Thoughts?

Ken68

Hi Ducks...that seems to be the latest thinking, make the cheaper prices more visual, they get lost in the myriad of new tariffs.
Not forgetting that a lot of users don't believe in competition, so stay with the original suppliers like British Gas and the local electricity board.
By far the best way of reducing consumption is to switch every appliance OFF then spend something like a day thinking and discussing whether to switch it on again.
Think of the alternatives. Canned goods instead of running the freezer, for example.
Another thought crossed my mind reading your post.....£1000 a year for energy is well within budget for most earners.