Energy: Find the cheapest supplier & earn cashback

neilcharnock1977

daveoc22 wrote: »

I am with Eon on their Fixonline6 tariff which ends on April 1st.

I want another long term fix so I was looking at the EDF fix to June 2015. However, I understand that EDF prices are going up in March.

Two questions.

Firstly if I apply to swith to EDF before March 1st would my tariff be set as the June 2015 fix, bearing in mind the overall transfer is not likely to go thru for some weeks, by which time EDF's price will have gone up.

Secondly, if the transfer goes thru before my Fixonline6 ends on April 1st will I have to pay Eon a cancellation fee, even though it may only be days?.

Thanks

Hello deveco22

Sometimes it can be tricky to balance changing supplier and tarriff end date and you can be stung with the cancellation fee if you dont time it correctly.

My advice is too ask your new supplier for the expected SSD ( supply start date) and compare it to you tariff end date.

Or an easier option is to put the request in to your new supplier to change and then contact e.on to remove you from the online tariff and to put you on the cheapest non online tariff such as discount energy or track and save for example.

As you have changed tariff internally first with e.on and not changed supplier then the cancellation fee does not stand ( it is a loophole worth knowing ) you can do this with any supplier to get out of the canellation fee just swicth tariiff and move suplier pretty quick to get the best deal.

I work in the energy sector and regualrly do this .. e.on will not tell u about this as they cash in on the cancellation fees as if e.on are not making enough money

Last edited by neilcharnock1977; Today at 8:51 PM.

duckmagicuk2

I don't really want to tie myself into an energy plan which has penalties if I terminate early. This is mainly because I'm in rented accommodation and can't be 100% sure I'll be in the same property in 12 or 18 months' time.

I'm currently with British Gas. I've been looking at switching to EBI Co. Their Gas would have saved me £15 this winter, but their electric would have cost me *marginally* more. Given that British Gas have today announced that further price hikes could be possible, should I switch to EBI Co now in the hopes that their prices don't shift as much? I should still save on Gas/Electric overall... and could still switch to another supplier if EBI Co wasn't delivering value and I had more idea of where I'd be living in the slightly more distant future.

Thoughts? :money:

koru

I think maybe it is already too late to be signing up for fixed rates, as recommended by Martin today. When I use one of the comparison sites, the cheapest fixed rate is about £250 more than the cheapest variable rate (a discounted rate), so I would only be better off locking in a fixed rate now if the variable rate increases by at least £250 per year. That seems to be less than the amount being suggested by Martin as the possible price rise. And each month that rates stay the same as they are now, I am saving £20.

Xstyle

I have E-ON Fixonline 8, expiring 1st July. I am not sure where I should move to. Would like fixed. Using a comparison site it came up with nPower v22 as cheapest, which is £110pa more than E-ON currently. Not sure what my rates goes to with E-ON Energy Online, over £250 more than currently I think. NPower has a standing charge though, and I think it's variable...
I have worked out my usage as 33,500 kwh GAS annually, and ELEC 5000 kwh. Could go higher in the coming 12 months as someone will be home all the time now. What is best for me please?
Thanks

DoesntEnjoyCapitalism

My god! I consider myself educated, without wanting to brag I do have a good degree and have worked abroad, however switching tariffs/providers is one of the most horrific things I have to do!

It's even overtaken "shopping for car insurance" as my most despised task of the year!

It seems to me that they get you either way -

they promise fixed price dual tarriffs which have a reasonable rate on gas and then they sting you on electricity.

they have great deals with catchy names that have good offers on the gas and electric rates but only up to XXXX kWh a year, the units after that are then bumped up horrifically. (We use 25000 for gas and 5500 for electricity) making the early unit price discount worthless.

Their tariffs, especially within the same provider, all seem to be fairly homogeneous. The differences in price and discounts all seem to be smoke and mirrors that average out and work out very similar in most cases.

It really is time that the regulators took them to task, and I feel that the MSE guide on swapping could do with an update too. Whilst it is still a fantastic guide I've not found it as comprehensive as the car insurance guide or others on the site.

Doc_N

Xstyle wrote: »

I have E-ON Fixonline 8, expiring 1st July. I am not sure where I should move to. Would like fixed. Using a comparison site it came up with nPower v22 as cheapest, which is £110pa more than E-ON currently. Not sure what my rates goes to with E-ON Energy Online, over £250 more than currently I think. NPower has a standing charge though, and I think it's variable...
I have worked out my usage as 33,500 kwh GAS annually, and ELEC 5000 kwh. Could go higher in the coming 12 months as someone will be home all the time now. What is best for me please?
Thanks

This thread might help a bit:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/43557988#Comment_43557988

full-time-mum

I'm not sure whether it is the right time for me to switch or not.

I've done a comparison and I need to change either to a new supplier or to a better tariff with my current supplier EDF.
Both have a tie-in until Sept or May next year.
I would save most by going to British Gas but they have said they are going to price hike soon so should I wait and see (because of the tie-in).

There doesn't seem to be cash back to switch to BG. I could get something by going via a switching site rather than a cashback site. However, the tariff that I want (BG Websaver 11) is only on the switching site with the additional EnergySaver 50 which costs an additional £36/year - we already have a maintenance contract which covers our boiler servicing and breakdown so I don't want that. As far as I can see,you are paying £36 for next day callout - which is still pay-as-you-go so strikes me as a waste of money.

My head is spinning and I can't get it around whether to switch or not.

One other question:
Do you think I can switch to a different EDF tariff via a switching site and get the cashback or does it only apply if I'm changing from someone else? Has anyone tried?

Gethsemane

Tipples wrote: »

As I work for a local authority helping older people claim various different benefits, this is something I often get asked about, especially as prices do nothing but rise lately. I am in the process of putting together a directory of what plans are out there through the various different suppliers and the criteria for them. Here's what I've found so far (but the suppliers don't make this info easy to find!)

British Gas Essentials Tariff covers gas and electric. Criteria are as follows:

Customer must have entitlement to one or more of the following benefits

• Disability Living Allowance
• Attendance Allowance
• War disablement pension*
• Disablement Pension**
• Child Tax Credit †
• Working Tax Credit †
• Council Tax Benefit
• Housing Benefit
• Carers Allowance
• Severe Disablement Allowance
• Income Support
• Income-Based Job Seekers Allowance

I was surprised not to see Pension Credit on this list, but if someone's on Pension Credit I'd advise them to try anyway as it works in pretty much the same way as Income Support. Likelihood is though, that if someone gets Pension Credit, they'll either be getting or may be eligible for one of the other benefits too.

To sign up: 0800 072 7100

UPDATE: British Gas have now withdrawn this scheme as of 02/10/08 and replaced it with Essentials Advance. No lower tariffs, but you can get free insulation and then a £50 credit on your bill when the work is completed, provided you meet the criteria.


Scottish Power run a similar scheme called Carefree Plus. CareFree Plus offers qualifying Carefree customers a fixed discount of up to nearly £112 per year.

Criteria are as follows:

To qualifying for the discount you must be:
1. 60 years of age or over
2. Registered on our CareFree Scheme. (This is like the Priority Service Register)
3. In receipt of one of the following benefits:

• Attendance allowance
• Council tax benefit (not including single occupancy discount)
• Disability living allowance
• Child tax credit (where income is less than £15,592)
• Housing benefit
• Income-based JSA
• Income support
• State pension credit
• Working tax credit (where household income is less than £15,592)
• War disablement pension (which either includes a mobility supplement or constant attendance allowance
• Disablement pension which includes constant attendance

4. Pay by Prepayment, or receive your bill quarterly.

To sign up: 0845 2700 700 and ask for the CareFree team


E-ON run a scheme called CaringEnergy, no reduced tariffs here by the looks of things - just insulation grants, lightbulbs, advice, benefit entitlement checks, a priority services register for vulnerable customers, and access to a £2m CaringEnergy Fund, which can provide customers with financial support to cover the costs of insulation, heating measures, and essential household appliances such as fridge/freezers and washing machines.

For more info: 0800 051 1480

E-ON do also offer the StayWarm and Age concern tariffs for older people but as to how these compare price-wise I'm unsure.

EDF have introduced a new tariff called Energy Assist. To qualify you need to be in receipt of Income Support, Pension Credit, or spend more than 10% of your total net household income on your annual fuel bills.

Existing customers call: 0800 096 9000
New Customers call: 0800 056 5927

Southern Electric run a scheme called energyplus Care, which offers extra benefits for priority customers. The package is available to existing customers of Southern Electric who are worried about being cold because of acute poor housing, health and income.
The package offers:

• Qualifying customers receive up to 20% discount on their current fuel prices, regardless of which payment method they use.
• Free energy efficiency advice to help save even more money on future bills.
• Free energy efficiency measures, from low-energy light bulbs to a free fridge or a discounted fridge/freezer.
• Free benefit entitlement check

You may qualify for energyplus Care if you spend over 10% of your total household income on your energy bills. Your eligibility is assessed using a simple questionnaire which Southern Electric will complete either over the phone or in person. The key questionnaire categories are based on:

• Your home and how energy-efficient it is
• Your annual fuel costs
• Your total household income
• Other additional support needs

To apply: call the Careline on 0800 622 838

In addition to these schemes all Energy providers have to offer a Priority services register, which usually offer some or all of the following services to those of pensionable age, those with disabilities, those with long term ill health and those who are visually or hearing impaired.

• Password protection scheme
• Meter reading
• Moving meters
• Free annual gas safety check of gas appliances*
• Advance notice if your electricit supply has to be interrupted
• Special help if your gas supply is disrupted or turned off for safety reasons*
• Special controls and adapters
• Bill nominee scheme
• Bills in alternative formats for customers who are visually or hearing impaired

*All adults in the household must meet the eligibility criteria.


For people who are in debt with their Utilities, there are a few trusts that can help.

EDF Energy Trust
British Energy Trust (covers Scottish Gas customers too)
Yorkshire Water Community Trust

I'm sure there are more of these too if you look, but debt advice is not really something I have to do that often.

If anyone has any info they'd like to add to this, feel free!!

Charlotte

Having been informed i no longer qualify for my tarriff, ive been doing some research regards the above post. Please find below the various bits of additional info ive discovered. It really is a mine field, with what seems ever changing goal posts. Apologies if my findings have already been posted

British Gas Essentials Tariff

electricity = 15.579p per unit for the first 225units per quater then
9.173p per unit

Gas = 4.796p per unit for the first 11.43units per quater then
2.897 per unit

no standing charge

Scottish Power

no changeto above


E-ON CaringEnergy tariff

you need to be over 60


EDF Energy Assist

Electricity = 12.27p per unit with a standing charge of 2.21pence per day

Gas = 8.78p per unit with a standing charge of 3.353pence per day

Southern Electric energyplus Care

You now need to spend 20% of your household income to qualify (thats a 10% increase)

dancemum

dancemum wrote: »

I have just pressed send on my switching form. My discounted rate ends today.

I have discovered through moneysupermarket that I would be best to stay with my supplier and choose a different tariff. I have done this using their link. My question is as I have stayed with same supplier but switched tariff would I be eligible for the cashback? I thought it worth a try anyway.

I have received my £30 cash back :T :money:

KimYeovil

Gethsemane wrote: »

You now need to spend 20% of your household income to qualify (thats a 10% increase)

That's a 100% increase - not a 10% one.