Energy: Find the cheapest supplier & earn cashback

Premier_2

Always worth checking quidco cashback.

e.g. a dual fuel switch to Scottish Power via quidco currently pays £72 (recently increased from £62)

Tipples

Domina356 wrote: »

I haven't checked all posts, so don't know if people are aware, but those on certain benefits are eligible for a "Social Tariff". Each supplier is required to switch users following their request, as long as they meet the qualifying criteria.
Hope it helps someone.

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UPDATE: British Gas have now withdrawn this scheme as of 02/10/08 and replaced it with Essentials Advance.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

Squire

So, does anyone know how I find out if the comparison sites have taken into account a very recent price rise? And also, what are your views on standing charges? I think I have worked out that scottish power standing charge is cheapest for me (electricity).

goodguy40

Just rang British Gas and the Essentials tariff is no longer available.
It finished last week

giveitago

Anyone know if simplyswitch are still doing the £35 amazon vouchers? In their T&C is states:
This offer is only available from 3rd September 2008 until 30th September 2008. MoneyExpert have the right to remove or extend this offer an any point during this term

I will phone them and check in the morning and report back too :O)

Thanks.

giveitago

giveitago wrote: »

I will phone them and check in the morning and report back too :O)

The offer still stands - I got a phone call back from them confirming this.

:j

danensis

I've just tried the switching sites, and they all tell me I can save shedloads of dosh, but all the companies they recommend have really poor customer feedback.

At what point do you trade customer service for price?

The two best prices are from British Gas (for electricity) and npower for electricity. It can save me over £400 a year, but I'm wondering if its worth it if all I'm going to get is hassle?

I-LOV-MONEY

danensis wrote: »

I've just tried the switching sites, and they all tell me I can save shedloads of dosh, but all the companies they recommend have really poor customer feedback.

I suppose one thing you have to consider is how often are you going to need to contact customer services ?

Once the transfer is made, normally everything goes along seemlessly. Even if you have to submit your own readings, it is normally an automated service.

Niemand

danensis wrote: »

I've just tried the switching sites, and they all tell me I can save shedloads of dosh, but all the companies they recommend have really poor customer feedback.

At what point do you trade customer service for price?

The two best prices are from British Gas (for electricity) and npower for electricity. It can save me over £400 a year, but I'm wondering if its worth it if all I'm going to get is hassle?

The only thing I'd say is that I switched to Npower earlier this year on the Sign Online 11 tariff. Well, I thought I had. But what happened was they put me on the Standard tariff - significantly more expensive. I have had to contact Customer Services four times: the first time to correct it, and subsequent times to correct the incorrect corrections. I am still waiting to find out if they have truly put me on the tariff to which I signed up. Their own deadline to do so is 17 December (this year).

Despite that, £400 is a lot of money and although Npower's reputation for Customer Service is poor, I would be tempted to switch.

I would add that I have been able to reach Npower's Customer Services reasonably swiftly, although the best time to phone is Tuesday to Friday, between 1pm and 4pm, according to them.

firstTimeBuyer_2-2

Hi,

I went through the money saving expert website and from it's recommendation switched my energy supplier using moneysupermarket.com.
Now their telling me I didn't go through the money saving expert website and don't qualify for the £30 cash back!

Firstly that's the only reason I used them and secondly the text which says "Plus by specifically clicking to the comparison sites using the special links below" on this page http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/uti...as-electricity is so small! Talk about read the small print, what a con this is!

Has anybody else had this problem?