KWh verses standing charge?

moonpenny

Can someone tell me which is the most important on getting a good deal on Gas & Elec - cost for kWh or daily standing charge?

Robin9

Depends  - if you are a low user then s/c is significant; if a high user then unit rate.

The bottom line is what is the overall cost.

Gerry1

Neither.  You need to compare the cost for your annual usage, derived from actual meter readings.  Compare starting with Citizens Advice and 'Switch with Which?'.  Remember that separate suppliers are likely to be cheaper.

Verdigris

If you put accurate consumption figures into the Cheap Energy Club quotation system you won't need to worry about it. You will get a monthly payment that takes both into account and will give an accurate comparison between suppliers.

Talldave

Verdigris said:

If you put accurate consumption figures into the Cheap Energy Club quotation system you won't need to worry about it. You will get a monthly payment that takes both into account and will give an accurate comparison between suppliers.

Or you could use a comparison site that covers all suppliers.

Dual fuel usually costs more, as suppliers have worked out that consumer lethargy is a cash cow they can milk a little harder.

Verdigris

I thought CEC did cover all suppliers.

Certainly, when I changed to two suppliers using CEC, yesterday, I'd never heard of either of them and I'm a frequent switcher.

molerat

CEC has many suppliers missing from the list.  I used to use it all the time but now it is very poor imitation compared the the two mentioned above.

For me cheapest CEC dual fuel £1108, cheapest CA £1061.  Cheapest CEC electric £538, CA £484.   Gas shows the same cheapest but there are a few suppliers missing along with some tariffs from suppliers they do list..

Verdigris

I've just tried the CA comparison site and it doesn't have the particular Yorkshire Energy tariff I'm on, so would not provide an accurate comparison. I think the lesson is that no comparison site is perfect and trying all the "neutral" sites, mentioned in this thread, is advisable. The heavily advertised switching sites that prioritise their commission over your bill are best avoided.

moonpenny

I tried a lot of the comparison sites including the ones mentioned on here but they all seemed more expensive than the one I was switching from.
I put in my kWh used but the ones that had a slightly lower price had a higher standing charge and versa visa hence my question.

I was also under the impression that these sites moved you automatically but most don't.

matelodave

You can easily do the sums - there are 365(6) days in a year so one penny a day on the s/c is worth just £3.65 and 10p extra is worth £36.50 a year. However depending on how much you use one penny per kwh can make a much bigger difference.
In general for an average user of around 3000kwh of leccy a year, one penny is worth £30.

Do the same with gas, if you use 12000kwh a year then just 0.25p/kwh is worth £40

For instance, I use over 7000kwh of leccy a year, so 1p = £70 whereas an increase of 10p on the s/c is only £36.50 so by paying 10p extra on my s/c and 1p less per kwh I can save £35

[Deleted User]

Verdigris said:

I've just tried the CA comparison site and it doesn't have the particular Yorkshire Energy tariff I'm on, so would not provide an accurate comparison. I think the lesson is that no comparison site is perfect and trying all the "neutral" sites, mentioned in this thread, is advisable. The heavily advertised switching sites that prioritise their commission over your bill are best avoided.

This is where people get confused. Price comparison websites (PCW) only compare tariffs that are available now. By putting in your present tariff, the PCW may produce what appears to be a saving; however, the underpinning assumption needs to be understood. For example, you have one month left on your present tariff. The PCW default position is that at the end of your present tariff you will default to the supplier's SVT. It follows that this will produce an annual cost which is higher than you will have paid for the previous 12 months as it is based on one month on present tariff plus 11 months on SVT. The PCW then uses this figure to look at the cost of the tariffs that are available today. It follows that you may well end in a situation where the PCW shows a saving but the cheapest tariff on the market for your annual kWh consumption and postcode is significantly more expensive than the tariff that you are on now. The latter is due to increasing energy costs.