Energy Comparison sites and tariffs that don't make sense.

creditcardwoes

Anyone know how to make sense of whether to go onto a fix now or stick with a variable.

I built this spreadsheet below to try to make sense of the options but I'm struggling

Both MSM and MSE's comparisons seem to be wrong.

They list my UW tariff but Kwh and Standing charges are wrong for both Gas and Electric

According to their numbers British Gas and EDF seem to have higher electricity unit charges than the current cap - So either that is wrong too or those companies are charging above the legal amount - that can't happen can it?

Makes a bit of a mockery of price comparison sites if all the figures used in their calculations are wrong.

According to my numbers it looks like a switch to E-on might be a good idea but then I'm not sure if I can trust those numbers since they came from MSM. Also is fixing at that even worth the risk in case the cap comes down as we go into the summer ?.

Am I misunderstanding something or am I right in thinking all the guff around the April price cap seeing bills drop by 6-9% / £150ish is just that, and actually all I can really expect is a £20 a year saving if I stick where I am.

This all seems painfully complicated and designed to make it impossible to make an informed decision.

Any ideas / thoughts appreciated

Woodstok2000

Your price cap figures are wrong.

MikeJXE

I ignore the price cap it means nothing to me as I am a low user.

I don't trust comparison sites I trust myself

I know what my usage is over 5 years, I get a quote, I feed the numbers into my simple spreadsheet and calculate if its cheaper than what I am paying.

If it has a large exit fee I don't even bother as things can change too quickly like now with the Middle East problem.

I am on Octopus fix no exit fee, I am a low user, of my total Electric cost, my standing charges are 2 thirds of the total, of my gas costs standing charges are half the total.

The switches I can get now are all more expensive so I will stick

So much for everyone making a saving from April 1st

creditcardwoes

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81908412#Comment_81908412

Good spot. Updated them

creditcardwoes

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81908428#Comment_81908428

My understanding was the price cap isn't really a price cap. Its a rate cap on the Unit Price and Standing Charge. What I don't understand is how some of the unit prices (Octopus) still seem to be higher than the current cap

Woodstok2000

You'll still be saving money after April 1st.

https://octopus.energy/blog/april-2026-price-cap-updates/

gpman

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81908474#Comment_81908474

The price cap only applies to the the suppliers default tariff, usually their standard variable. Octopus calls it Flexible.

Btw, if you were considering the EDF tracker extra MSE exclusive, grab it now. EDF have already pulled it off their website. They now have the normal tracker which is £50 a year more. (or £50 a year less than the price cap, whichever way you want to look at it)

The_Groat_Counter

gpman posted:

Btw, if you were considering the EDF tracker extra exclusive, grab it now. EDF have already pulled it off their website. They now have the normal tracker which is £50 a year more. (or £50 a year less than the price cap, whichever way you want to look at it)

This being the EDF "Simply Tracker Extra Jun27" fix - still showing as available at time of writing via the MSE Cheap Energy Club comparison site, and still with enhanced cashback of £70 for dual-fuel.

Deals being rapidly pulled off websites does have that slight ring of familiarity to summer 2022…

MikeJXE

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81908475#Comment_81908475

I read that but that's not true for me.

My quote from Octopus stated the standing charge is up on both Electric and gas, yes the rates are down but for a low user like me it's more expensive as I worked it out

The quote said £52.27 DD

My recommended DD is £46.01

Which is neither here nor there I do the maths myself

If Octopus do reduce the bill for fix rate users they will have to reduce my standing charges to have any effect

Woodstok2000

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81908501#Comment_81908501

You're not comparing like with like in that case. If you're on a fix now, that same fix will be cheaper after April 1st (same standing cost, cheaper unit cost). If you change tariffs now, the tariff you move to will become cheaper after April 1st.

There's never been any promise that a different tariff after April 1st would be cheaper than what you're on now.

EssexHebridean

Even if they reduce the unit rates it will still have SOME effect, just not as much as for a higher user.

Simple example:

Person A pays £1 a unit for 1,000 things, costing £1000. They also pay a standing charge which equals £182 per year so their total cost is £1182

A's supplier reduces the price of the things to 95p - so A now pays £1132, saving £50.

Person B pays £1 a unit for 10,000 things - costing £10,000. They also pay a standing charge which equals £182 per year so their total cost is £10,182

B's supplier reduces the price of the things to 95p - so B now pays £9,682, saving £500.

As a percentage they are saving the same - but in terms of actual value, B saves more. That's largely irrelevant though as they were also spending more on more units in the first place.