Igloo Energy removed from Cheap Energy Club comparison?

bob_3

 Leave your central heating on or switch it off , depends on how old you are and can you afford to leave it on
as you get older say over 65 your going to have to keep warm as you intend to move less and the old ticker does not run as good as it used to ,these very cold nights we normally leave the heating on low , and when i say low i mean  by turning the boiler thermostat  down a  bit  when we go to bed , then when one of us get's up in the night for a jimmy  we normally turn the heating off  at the wall thermostat ,what's more important is making sure your on the cheapest  KWH  RATE AND DAILY STANDING CHARGE , Some companies have been rated /recommended as the best BUT THIS DOE'S NOT MEAN THERE THE CHEAPEST , You got to look at the  KWH RATES AND DAILY STANDING CHARGES  and compare them to what you are paying   at the moment  if there higher forget it and try another , i have been studying this for some time and overall found 
AVRO ENERGY the cheapest ,that's why i been with them for almost 3 years now , if you want to read more  click
  so 1. check  electricity  KWH rate and make a note ..--------------p
2. check  electricity  daily standing charge and make a note   daily charge ----------------p
3. check gas  KWH rate and make a note   --------------------p
4. check gas daily standing charge and make a note  ------------p
if you like you can  work out the annual costs by using the estimated  KWH figures and daily standing charges  that your supplier has put on your site or on your bill for the year ,
Re  fixed rate or variable i go for fixed every time so you know what your paying wile the contract lasts .
so you can compare  KWH  and daily standing charges  and see if your actually making a saving or not 
last word don't go on what you see  ( your saving   £--------------- amount a year  
only way is to work it out for your self 
  
good luck bob

Brewer20

I've tried various comparison sites including the cheap energy club, Which and Citizens advice, many more.
I've decided that going direct to an energy company website will usually bring up the same prices anyway. Some say there are deals to be had by using these comparison sites, I can't see any deals TBH.
I think it's the time of year now and the current situation is driving prices up, I've kept a watchful eye on prices since mid December, nearly switched but for now staying put, I'm with Igloo on a variable tariff, that's all they do.
Closest competition on price have been recently (a few days ago) EDF, Pure Planet (although they have gone off my wish list now, increased prices it seems too much) and lastly Avro. As the last post above says, Avro are the front runner on price (I think so) bit TBH honest on my calcs I'm saving about £20-£30 if I move to them. Given Igloo increasing prices 8th Feb by 9.1% my workings out are based in those rises.
Thanks above for the tip on Avro and the WHD payment, still under consideration by me but maybe not guaranteed to get it..🤔

Gerry1

Brewer20 said:

I've decided that going direct to an energy company website will usually bring up the same prices anyway. Some say there are deals to be had by using these comparison sites, I can't see any deals TBH.

There's no hard and fast rule.  Some such as British Gas show only expensive tariffs on their website, and London Power hide their best tariffs unless you persevere.  Obviously they don't want to alert their existing customers to cheaper tariffs !  There are definitely some tariffs which are exclusive to certain price comparison websites.

It can be worth telling PCWs that you are with a different provider.  At times the CEC has not brought up results for existing customers.

Basically it's a jungle out there and you have to be sharp to get the best results.  One big pitfall is only to compare dual fuel and forget to compare separate suppliers.

bob_3

DID YOU KNOW THIS 

Most energy plans have different rates for different areas. For example, a plan's electricity unit cost in Canterbury could be 14.06p, rising to 14.39p in London, 15.25p in Cardiff, and 16.55p in Belfast.

This is sometimes referred to as the "postcode lottery", and it boils down to three major factors:

How much the energy company sells in your area
How much it buys from generators in your area
The different charges imposed on the energy supplier by the local distribution network in your area
If you’re curious about which areas are the cheapest for energy, and which areas are the most expensive, we can answer that as well.

Which areas in the UK are most expensive for energy?
Merseyside and the South of Wales have some of the highest energy prices on average.

Which areas in the UK have the cheapest energy?
The North of Scotland and East Midlands have the lowest on average.

What can I do about energy prices in my region?
You may not be able to do much about your post code, but you can ensure you're on the cheapest plan available to you by running an energy comparison.

Changing energy plans gives you more control over the rates you pay per kWh for your energy.

However, the local distribution networks that operate the gas and electricity supplies in your region are essentially monopolies. Unlike the energy markets, there is no competition forcing them to reduce their costs and fight for customers' money. These costs are built into the overall plan in the form of standing charges.

So while you can’t control the range of prices by region, you can choose to ensure you’re on the cheapest rates available in your area.

But if the energy is the same, why do some people pay have to pay more for it?
Each energy supplier will have their own prices for getting the same gas and electricity from the same local distribution network.

Essentially, every energy supplier has their own reasons for setting the prices the way they are. It's up to customers to keep them on their toes by comparing the market regularly and refusing to stay loyal — this creates a more competitive market.

Ofgem does not regulate prices, only the market, to try to encourage suppliers to compete with each other and offer customers the best possible service and a wide selection of options to meet different demands.

If the energy market has many reputable suppliers competing against each other, then they will, in theory, keep their prices low in order to retain and attract customers.

Why are energy prices different in parts of the UK?
There are three main reasons why energy prices fluctuate across the country, varying from region to region, and these are:

How much energy suppliers are able to sell to customers in that region
How much energy suppliers buy from the national grid in that region
How much the local energy distributors for the region charge suppliers for that energy
How is electricity supplied in the UK?
Electricity is supplied to households through Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) and energy suppliers.

There are 14 licensed geographically defined regions of the UK with DNOs serving each one.

Energy suppliers such as British Gas, SSE, npower, etc, use these distribution networks to provide customers with electricity.

Each network will set prices as they wish for each region. There are regulations in place by Ofgem to prevent DNOs abusing their monopoly power and charging suppliers too much, which would in turn force consumers to pay more for their energy.

However, the charges for energy suppliers to use these regional networks still impacts customers' bills.

How is gas supplied in the UK?
Gas is supplied by energy companies via a local distribution network.

There are eight Gas Distribution Networks (GDNs) operating over separate regions across the UK. Like with electricity DNOs, GDNs are also regulated by Ofgem. Since GDNs are a natural monopoly, there are some regulations in place to ensure there isn't an abuse of power and that suppliers aren't charged too much.

The local distribution networks in each of the eight regions will still have different charges for suppliers, meaning customers with the same energy deal could get different prices based on their postcode.

How does energy supply and demand affect prices in my area?
Generally speaking, most products are cheaper when you buy them in bulk, and the same goes for energy. Suppliers will spend more in the wholesale markets if they have the customers to sell to.

Some regions use more gas and electricity than others but that doesn't necessarily mean that their supply will be cheapest.

While supply and demand can be a factor it doesn't explain fully why, for example, in London where there is a larger population (and more people consuming energy) the price of electricity is more expensive than in the North of Scotland.

Cheaper energy supply in different regions
In some parts of the country, generating electricity is cheaper than in other parts. For example, in Scotland where there is a large supply of oil, the energy tends to be cheaper. Similarly, in some parts of the country where there has been more fracking, there has been a bigger supply of gas on the network.

Producing renewable energy is also becoming cheaper, so regions that are investing more heavily in wind farms and solar will likely have a cheaper supply on their local distribution networks.

Distribution network charges differ by region
Each region's local distributor will have their own charges set for suppliers. The gas and electricity suppliers pass these additional costs onto customers through their energy bills.

Each region is different, and that's in part down to the amount of energy they are able to generate and the price of generating that energy.

As mentioned above, some regions can get their energy supply for a little cheaper than others because they have a more abundant supply of fossil fuels or renewable energy. Other regions might have plenty of customers but not enough cheap energy generating solutions, so the supply will be more expensive by the time it gets to your

ME BOB so when you go onto a site looking for a better deal /giving them all the information
on what tariff/ /supplier / usage / area you live in in my experience most of the time they get it wrong
i completed one today for uk power that stated saving me £155 but when i look at the figures infarct
if i change to what they suggest it's going to cost me more and it's because they do not have the correct KVH figures that is on my bills for this area SO BE AWARE ESTIMATED SAVINGS FROM THESE SITES ARE NOT RELIABLE AND SHOULD BE IGNORED .

What needs to be changed is as well as asking you how much electricity / gas KWH you use a year
they also should ask what you are paying for electricity and gas per KWH as on your latest bill and also the standing charges you pay . by doing this they should be able to direct you to a real saving not one made up on incorrect / out of date information about your existing tariff. i mite email ofgem and request a change to how these sites estimate savings on incorrect information

OF INTEREST ADD ON 1
. What is a ‘low energy user’?
Uses 1,900 kWhs of electricity and 8,000 kWhs of gas in a year
Lives in a small property, such as a one or two bedroom flat
One to two people live in the property
Occupiers are employed full time, and spend little time at home
Typically uses the washing machine once a week, heating occasionally, no dishwasher or tumble dryer

What is a ‘medium energy user’?
Uses 3,100 kWhs of electricity and 12,000kWhs of gas in a year
Lives in a medium sized property, such as a three bedroom house
Three to four people live in the property, for example two adults and two children
Children at school and parents are at work during the day, with everyone home in the evening
Typically use the washing machine a few times a week, have the heating on regularly, occasionally use the dishwasher, have TV and electrical appliances on in the evenings

What is a ‘high energy user’?
Uses 4,600 kWhs of electricity and 17,000 kWhs of gas in a year
Lives in a large property, such as a house with four or more bedrooms
Four or five people live in the house (a large family or a group of housemates sharing)
Occupiers could be at home during evenings and weekends, and sometimes during the day
Typically use the washing machine most days, have the heating on regularly, use the dishwasher and tumble dryer regularly, and use several TVs and electrical appliances
So, our eco-conscious family of four could, in theory, be low or medium energy consumers, whilst the couple in the flat could have medium or high energy consumption. Taking into account your property type, family size, and your lifestyle is a much more accurate way of estimating the cost of your energy bills.

But, average bill costs also depend on how efficient your home is. No matter how careful you are when it comes to energy usage, if your house lacks good insulation, double glazing, and draught proofing, then you could be paying for more energy than you need. Find out how you could make your home more energy efficient.

Brewer20

Good info above, thanks.
I find exactly what you have said above compare sites. If I input true figures, my tariff (with whoever I'm with) I get back quite a few quotes telling me I'll pay more if I switch to them. Basically over the last 4-5 weeks I've been keeping s check on prices, currently there isn't any company recently that van save me over £20-£30 per year. Worth switching, not really for £2.50 per month but I'll keep doing a few comparisons over the next week or two.

Gerry1

bob_3 said:

I might email Ofgem and request a change to how these sites estimate savings on incorrect information

It's dozy Ofgem's fault because that's how they specify that comparisons should be made.  To its credit, that's one thing the CEC gets right: it defaults to a sensible comparison and only gives Ofgem's daft results on request.

Always ignore all projections and claims about savings, just compare total annual kWh costs from actual meter readings, remembering to check whether separate suppliers are cheaper than dual fuel.