best gas and electric for someone with raynuads and fibromalgia

julie03

my mum is moving into a one bedroom flat soon and has raynuads so her heating will be on most of the winter, she is 66
wondered who would be best to go with

thanks

Premier_2

The cheapest?

Try to estimate her annual usage and use the comparison sites to get the best deal.
Depending on the confidence in the estimate used, it may be best to choose a tariff that has no tie in period so that you can keep the consumption under constant review and change supplier if it proves wildly inaccurate.

specialsparky

As she is vulnerable then most suppliers will have special tariffs to help out,especially if she is on benefits. These tariffs may not show on comparasion sites, phone and ask
Hope this helps
Good luck

SimpleDave_2

specialsparky is right there are 'social tariffs' available for certain groups, and it sounds like your mum would fall into those groups.

Consumer Focus has details on those tariffs. If you go to

ww.consumerfocus.org.uk/energy-help-and-advice/your-energy-questions (sorry I can't post links yet!)

and then enter social tariffs, the number one answer should be:

1. social tariffs...

this has details of the offerings and contact details for the suppliers.

Otherwise Consumer Direct (08454 04 05 06) should be able to give you more info.

These tariffs will be the cheapest options.


Good luck.

Dave

Premier_2

SimpleDave wrote: »

...These tariffs will be the cheapest ...

Not necessarily, it's still worth using a comparison site to see if a better deal than a social tariff is available.

(You can't do this directly, you'll have to compare the annual costs as the comparison sites only list tariffs that are generally available)


The link you posted only shows British Gas Essentials tariff. Other suppliers have social tariffs too.
The BG tariff is 15% less than their standard tariff.
I strongly suspect that can be bettered, especially for a high user using a web based, pay monthy by DD tariff.


Edit: The page was slow loading, the other suppliers are also listed

http://cfe.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/cfe.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=5111&p_created=1210078248&p_sid=yp5gYt2k&p_accessibility=0&p_redirect=&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX3Jvd19jbnQ9OCw4JnBfcHJvZHM9MCZwX2NhdHM9MCZwX3B2PSZwX2N2PSZwX3BhZ2U9MSZwX3NlYXJjaF90ZXh0PXNvY2lhbA**&p_li=&p_topview=1

But still the discounts are not great. e.g. E.on is also up to 15% off standard prices, nPower gives 20% off their standard prices

(standard tariffs are usually the most expensive tariff available)

SP seems a little better as it will be equal to the lowest SP tariff (but who says SP will be the cheapest supplier? A comparison site)

EDF says its the same as those on DD pay monthly tariff (but does specify which one, presumably the most expensive) plus a £75 annual discount.

SSE seems perhaps the best option at 20% off the cheapest tariff for that area...but still worth checking via a comparison site if that can be beaten by another supplier.

thor

I read somewhere that pensioners can get a £75 payment if they are edf customers.