We’d like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum.

This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are – or become – political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.

📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!
The Forum now has a brand new text editor, adding a bunch of handy features to use when creating posts. Read more in our how-to guide

Home Energy variable vs Octopus fixed

so I’ve read through Martin’s advice and any threads but still struggling to figure out what to do. We are on the Home Energy variable tariff which is a discounted vs price cap tariff. Currently averaging around 10% below cap. With July price cap looming is it worth sticking with it (hoping that even if price goes up it will still be a good discount on price cap) and that if it comes back down later in year it will even out. Or should I fix in (which is currently £90 more a year but I have high energy costs at average £3400 dual a year). Means £150 exit fees if I want to move in this year to next April.

Anyone on Home Energy what are you thinking?

Comments

  • QrizB
    QrizB Posts: 22,566 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Fifth Anniversary Photogenic Name Dropper

    I'm not on Home Energy but the usual advice is this.

    If we have another energy price shock like 2022, the variable tariff could rise to maybe 10p/kWh for gas and 40p/kWh for electricity. Could you afford a winter of prices like this?

    If you can afford it, you're likely to be OK staying on the variable tariff and hoping it doesn't happen.

    If you can't afford it, you probably want to fix now at a rate you can afford, even if that's a bit higher than the current SVT.

    N. Hampshire, he/him. Octopus Intelligent Go elec & Tracker gas / Vodafone BB / iD mobile. Kirk Hill Co-op member.
    2.72kWp PV facing SSW installed Jan 2012. 11 x 247w panels, 3.6kw inverter. 35 MWh generated, long-term average 2.6 Os.
    Ofgem cap table, Ofgem cap explainer. Economy 7 cap explainer. Gas vs E7 vs peak elec heating costs, Best kettle!
  • ffc58
    ffc58 Posts: 55 Forumite
    Sixth Anniversary 10 Posts

    I'm with HE .Enjoying the decent rates at the moment.

    I check everyday on the Cheap Energy Club,

    Checking the fixed rates .But holding out a bit longer.

    Noticed today that the Fuse has raised their rates on the fixed rate.

    I am thinking HE will be losing a lot of customers if their variable rate was'nt competitive with no fixed rate either when the new cap is announced. .

  • Thanks for responses. Typically the deal which was £90 more disappeared by the next morning so I'm now looking at £197 more to fix in vs what I'm on now! Hoping HE stay competitive but not ideal if they shoot up more than this. I can absorb some increases but also don't particularly want to have to pay hundreds of pounds more!

Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 354.5K Banking & Borrowing
  • 254.4K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 455.4K Spending & Discounts
  • 247.4K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 604.2K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 178.5K Life & Family
  • 261.7K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.7K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.