Deals with low standing charges?

matelodave

The extra charge for the first 2kwh a day on the Utilita tariff works out at around 24p/day for leccy and 22/day for gas plus a relatively expensive cost per kwh so you do really need to do your sums to see if you'd actually better off.

Ebico are even more expensive in that every kwh of gas cost 6.5 p and every kwh or leccy is around 25p so you'd have to be a very frugal user to benefit

pooch

matelodave wrote: »

...

Ebico are even more expensive in that every kwh of gas cost 6.5 p and every kwh or leccy is around 25p so you'd have to be a very frugal user to benefit

Talldave wrote: »

....
As a contrasting example I'm in the middle of a switch from a supplier with a standing charge of 26p to one with a standing charge of 42p, but I shall be saving £456 over the year.

If, as you say, Ebico are charging about 25p/kWh for electricity ... well that is almost 2 free units per day before you even start, when you are paying 42ppd elsewhere. :money:

Lets assume someone was using 3 units per day, and you could buy electric for say 11p/kWh (I don't know if you can), then together with the 42ppd standing charge, that would be 75p
Or you could buy 3 units from Ebico for 75p
- so there would be the break even point.
90 kWh per month of electricity is not particularly low usage for a dual fuel household..

I'm sure my mate said they only pay about 16p/kWh for their electricity from Ebico, but they've been with them a long time, and Ebico prices are fixed with no early exit fees (for the zero standing charge tariff) so I guess they fixed before the current (v3) rates.

Talldave

Pooch I'm not sure what point you're trying to make, probably me being thick! My example (for massive gas usage as it happens) was to show that standing charge can be irrelevant if the unit rate is right.

We seem to be dissecting the workings of comparison sites that do all this across the whole market more effectively than any of us can using Excel or a calculator.

As long as the OP doesn't plan for zero consumption there will be a sweet spot tarrif with standing charge. If the OP posts region and kWh annual usage we can all go and find it and report back on the optimum standing charge/unit rate combination.

Beaker99

Thanks everyone for you comments.

Talldave, my elec is about 6500kwh per year and gas 2000 per year. I'm in Hertfordshire.

To go for a zero standing charge tariff your usage has to be much lower though to find that 'sweet spot'. I was really just looking if anyone knew of tariffs with similar standing charges (and units rates) similar to what I'm on now.

Of course, the overall cost is what I look at, but they're all up significantly on last year for me - due to the standing charge increases.

Flt._Lt._Biggles

Beaker99 wrote: »

Thanks everyone for you comments.

Talldave, my elec is about 6500kwh per year and gas 2000 per year. I'm in Hertfordshire.

To go for a zero standing charge tariff your usage has to be much lower though to find that 'sweet spot'. I was really just looking if anyone knew of tariffs with similar standing charges (and units rates) similar to what I'm on now.

Of course, the overall cost is what I look at, but they're all up significantly on last year for me - due to the standing charge increases.

6500kWh of electricity is not what one would call "pretty low" for a dual fuel user. However, your gas usage is low, so presumably you are using electricity as your main source of heating?

In that case, perhaps you have E7.
I noticed Yorkshire Energy have a standing charge of about 7p/day and reasonable unit costs (about 16p & 8p) . This is based in the Eastern supply region. You will need to check your supply region as it may vary widely.
But on that high level of electricity usage, standing charges are not as important as unit prices. Consult a comparison site to find the best deal .

2000kWh of gas is low. I'm not sure how you use this e.g. evenly throughout the year, or just in winter time?
If use is seasonal, you could take the Ebico zero tariff for the zero/super low usage period, and as there are no exit fees to worry about, transfer to any other Ebico or even RHE tariff for higher usage periods,
But be careful to pick a tariff with no standing cahrges, so you can transfer back when usage dips again

It should only take a quick phone call to transfer tariffs, and as its with the same supplier, the transfer should be really quick - often the same day as you request it

Beaker99

Thanks for replying!

My gas is heating but the reason my electric seems high by comparison is becaus3 I have air conditioning,.