Comparing unit price/standing charge?

Robin9

David67 for even more options don't use dual fuel but look at different suppliers for gas and electricity and the smaller suppliers rather than the big 6

molerat

DavidT67 wrote: »

It would seem though that the comparison websites ignore the KWH figures you enter and offer a "best" deal based on the officially sanctioned "average" consumption figures.
It that correct?

My energy provider's website seems to suggest changing to a tariff with higher per unit cost, but lower standing charge. Whereas moneysavingsexpert cheaperenergyclub suggest a tariff with lower unit cost, but higher standing charge.

So which is right?

Gas: 16000 kwh per year, Elec: 8000 kwh per year

Choice between Scottish Power April 2018 v2 or v4 tariff

No, the comparison sites will offer the best deal based on your input usage estimate. Your energy supplier bases their forecast on their own limited tariffs and any "savings" are based on the OFGEM mandated do nothing and revert to standard variable method.

K.S.

I'm Researching prices again as my fixed tariff runs out in a few weeks.

I originally started this thread because i use smart meters but i'm on prepayment still, and the only way i can see my tariff is if i select direct debit instead of prepayment, which i believe skews the prices somewhat, as the sites also compare my prices before the standing charge discounts are applied, leading them to say i would save much more than i actually would.

For example, I spent £672 on energy in the last year (bloated a bit as i had to use a convector heater for 2 months), whereas using my KWH/year the sites calculate that i used £700+ instead, with such a discrepency how can i accurately compare tariffs and see where i'd be making a saving?

Does anyone have a solution? i'd like to manually input my current prices and KWH for the last year for a solid comparison.

anniecave

I would ignore how much you can "save" and instead use a comparison site and enter your estimated kwh hours and see how much it will cost you on each tariff. If tariff A costs £600 per year and tariff B costs £650 per year then that's giving you meaningful information.

I always figure that knowing how much I would actually "save" is impossible to work out, as I am not going to use exactly the same amount from year to year anyway. Quite apart from the complexities of tariffs changing etc, which just adds more variable factors.

K.S.

I do compare the kwh and standing charge prices of course, but it's messy and never accurate to what i see on my own meters... then various sites will cite different savings and values of my own tariff, it's mindboggling.

I did find one company through the energy club tool actually, after comparing gas and electricity it was only more expensive for one thing (+5p electric standing charge) but cheaper for everything else even with my current discounts applied.

I was amazed to even come across a deal quite like this when everywhere else quotes as more expensive than what i already have with my current supplier.

phillw

anniecave wrote: »

I always figure that knowing how much I would actually "save" is impossible to work out, as I am not going to use exactly the same amount from year to year anyway. Quite apart from the complexities of tariffs changing etc, which just adds more variable factors.

They don't say how much you will save, only how much you could save if you switch. It's meaningful as long as you accept that it assumes that everything else is equal. So you'll use the same amount of energy and if you don't switch to this tariff then you won't switch to a different tariff.

Which are fair assumptions as to get the right tariff you must know what your energy use will be anyway. They don't stress this enough.

Norman_Castle

K.S. wrote: »

I originally started this thread because i use smart meters but i'm on prepayment still, and the only way i can see my tariff is if i select direct debit instead of prepayment, which i believe skews the prices somewhat,

Are you comparing potential new tariffs against a tariff you don't have? No surprise you're confused. Find a comparison site that shows your current tariff.

Cardew

Don't forget that if you are on a fixed tariff, that expires in less than one year, the comparison website calculation assumes you will switch to their(expensive) Standard tariff after the fixed tariff expires.

e.g. If your fixed tariff expires in 3 months time the comparison website will calculate your annual spend as 3 months on the fixed tariff rates and 9 months on their Standard tariff rates. It is that annual spend figure that is used to calculate savings.

PaschalFun

K.S. wrote: »

....

Does anyone have a solution? i'd like to manually input my current prices and KWH for the last year for a solid comparison.

Use a spreadsheet.

K.S.

Norman,
The problem is that no site allows me to select my current tariff without first selecting direct debit, the prices i pay using prepayment (online top-up using account) differ from direct debit for some reason.

Cardew,
Yeh, this site inparticular lets me use my assumed current tariff or the one i'll be switched to when comparing, make quite a saving for both... but that's only because the prices for the assumed tariff are wrong.

The cheap energy club helped me find a cheaper tariff by Green Network Energy, the only way i found it was better was to manually compare my unit price and standing charge that my smart monitor tells me... not making quite the saving the tool assumes but still roughly £50, which i think may be even higher because i had a month or two of high electric use when my boiler stopped pumping hot water to the radiators and i had to use a 2kw heater.

Thanks for the tips everyone.