with British Gas/ for gas and electric are they cheaper at night?

pinkparrott

Hi sorry but i am new to all this money saving, I am with British gas for both my gas and electricity, i noticed on my bills that i'm charged 2 different rates for the units. so i assume that they are both cheaper at certain types of day.

Is this correct, and if so when? any advice. also does this mean that you all do you washing, drying etc at night?

thanks

miketebb

There are so many different deals with so many different companies these days - but I suspect that you are charged one rate for the first x number of units, then a lower rate for units above that. I believe a night rate is possible for electric (the old economy 7) but I think you might need extra metering equipment for that?

This is a link to the British Gas site where you should find what you need.

http://www.house.co.uk/cgi-bin/house//house/products/productDetail.jsp?BV_SessionID=HHHH0456278663.1160998644HHHH&BV_EngineID=cccfaddjdmmgmgdcefecfngdfhidfmh.0&channelId=-1610622277&_txtProdID=gas_electricity&intCCNumber=00&strBubbleHelpKey=null&strSelName=1612169027

P.S. I would look at switching suppliers as BG are not usually the best on price - check out Martin's article.

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/cgi-bin/viewnews.cgi?newsid1103281560,22751,

pinkparrott

Thanks for this will do some more research

Gal

Possibly but it sounds more like you have day primary and day secondary which means your on a standard domestic tariff.

When you look at the meter are there 2 rates - Normal / Low (Or Day / Night)

If you have E7 then the night is cheaper - But night really means early morning normally around 12am - 8am. (Varies from area to area)

BritishGasWorker

OK time to explaine tariffs < grabs a stiff wiskey! >

Both gas and electric within BG are charges at a 2 tariff rate, for the first so many units used during your billing cycle, say 90 days you are charged at the tariff one..higher rate, for an average % of usage per day, the Tariff 2 is charged for the rest, and if you use loads of gas you might even see a tariff 3..
Erm I hate writing about these things as they can be very difficult for mortals to understand lol..

Example..

For the first 12.56 Kwh per day you are charged at Tariff 1
For the rest of the day you are a charged at Tariff 2,

They work this out in a very complicated way which confuses not only customer but somtimes staff. when it comes to gas you have to work out the calorific value at which gas burns at usualy between 38 too 43..Ok are you suitable confused?? most people are by now..


Here is the energy Watch way < gas >

To work out how much gas you have used between your most recent meter reading and the reading taken before that:

Take away the previous meter reading from the present figure (gives amount used)
If the meter is an imperial meter (normally 4 digits), measuring in hundreds of cubic feet, then the figure will need to be converted to cubic meters by multiplying by 2.83. If your meter already measures in cubic meters (normally 5 digit meters), you can miss out this step.
Then multiply by 1.02264 to work out the temperature and pressure correction.
There will be a calorific value figure shown on the bill, which is usually between 39 and 40. Multiply your figure by this number.
Divide by 3.6 to calculate how much energy (kilowatt hours=units) have been used.
Then multiply the number of units by the price per unit.
Add standing charge if you have one.
Add VAT amount at 5% (for gas used in your home).
The total is the amount you owe.

Note: If you are charged at two different rates for the units of gas you use, you will have to go through this calculation separately for each one, using the number of units used at each rate and different costs.

Can't this sum be made easier? No, unfortunately it can't. Reasons include:

- the amount of energy in a cubic meter of gas is not always the same and this has to be taken into account, so you pay the same amount for the same amount of heat.

- the bill tells you how much energy you have used in kilowatt hours, so you can compare gas prices with electricity prices.

Gal

lol did you enjoy writing all that out -

On a daily basis the gas as mentioned is around 12.5kWh and the electric is around 2.5kWh.

This is only worked out on annual thresholds being 900kWh for electric and 4572kWh for the Gas.

BritishGasWorker

LOL Gal I would prefer typing it than explaining it to someone over the phone lol

TimBuckTeeth

Electricity is not cheaper at night unless you have economy 7 with a second meter. I don't think you can get gas with a cheaper night rate.

Other supply companies have a standing charge per day, to cover the cost of supply, of around 12p for gas. Then just a single rate for the amount used (around 2.6p per kWh for gas).

British gas and other companies which have a 'no standing charge' billing option use a two rate charge, the first 1143kWh of gas used per quarter is at a higher rate (it is not calculated daily), which in effect includes the standing charge, but makes things more complicated.

You can get a better price by changing from british gas. I get both my gas and electric from my local electric company (Swalec) and it is quite a bit cheaper than british gas. Paying monthly by direct debit is the cheapest option with most companies. I would however avoid nPower as they have poor customer service and their salesmen have harassed me at my doorstep twice.

BritishGasWorker

<<waits for the next swalec price rise.....it wont be long...

BritishGasWorker

TimBuckTeeth wrote:

Electricity is not cheaper at night unless you have economy 7 with a second meter. I don't think you can get gas with a cheaper night rate.

Other supply companies have a standing charge per day, to cover the cost of supply, of around 12p for gas. Then just a single rate for the amount used (around 2.6p per kWh for gas).

British gas and other companies which have a 'no standing charge' billing option use a two rate charge, the first 1143kWh of gas used per quarter is at a higher rate (it is not calculated daily), which in effect includes the standing charge, but makes things more complicated.

You can get a better price by changing from british gas. I get both my gas and electric from my local electric company (Swalec) and it is quite a bit cheaper than british gas. Paying monthly by direct debit is the cheapest option with most companies. I would however avoid nPower as they have poor customer service and their salesmen have harassed me at my doorstep twice.

Hi tim..not sure where you are getting those figures from...If you work for Swalec? < slap on the wrist as you are breaking the law! > if ya dont..i would check that out as 12p day sounds alittle optermistic......and the rates are worked out per day....over an average period say over 90days...what I have put on this board is correct, if you are not sure please double check

Cheers

TimBuckTeeth

BritishGasWorker wrote:

<<waits for the next swalec price rise.....it wont be long...

Yes, I know it is going up in January, but still cheaper than the equivalent british gas rate.
I could probably get a better deal by changing again, but there is not much in it as they all keep changing. However, when I have checked, british gas always seem to be one of the most expensive. Their online only click tariff does seem to be quite competitive but fairly restrictive compared to others, eg. 75p/min premium rate phone line.

I don't work for Swalec, have been using them for a few years for gas, and checked the prices recently for someone. 12.35p per day standing charge.
http://www.swalec.co.uk/forms/displayPrices_results.asp

Similar or lower standing charge prices available from Scottish Power (depending on area):
http://www.scottishpower.co.uk/homeenergy/aboutyourbill/pricing.asp?section=homeenergy

I think we are talking at cross purposes about the two rates.

I understand that the 1143kWh threshold is per quarter (91 days) and is calculated pro rata, so if the bill period is longer the 12.56 gets added for each extra day. eg. 93 days gives 1143 + 12.56 + 12.56 = 1168.12kWh

BritishGasWorker wrote:

For the first 12.56 Kwh per day you are charged at Tariff 1
For the rest of the day you are a charged at Tariff 2,

I think this bit was a little confusing, in answer to the original post, as you will not get cheaper tariff 2 gas in the evening after the 12.56kWh has been used.
The actual amount used in any particular day does not matter, as it can not be calculated daily without a daily meter reading.