How to check if you're on the Energy Price Cap

Scot_39

i dont like the text it gives for e7 or my e10 with E.On Next (not directly contracted to E.On per se any longer since maybe 5 years ago - some with nPower pre buy out maybe never were on bills)

whilst it gets they are variable - it refers to Ofgem setting the rates.

it in section below just reads too much like a single rate electric answer.

which of course they dont as suppliers are free to set their own peak and off peak unit rates under the cap - 5p vs 40p could be as cap compliant as 15p vs 30p ballpark style e7 rates. A very high off peak user in the 90s say might save 60% on the former - paying c6p vs c16p average overall.

It arguably misleadingly states

"This means Ofgem sets the maximum standing charges and unit rates you pay. These vary by region and change every three months – and almost every firm prices at the max."

the text implies there is no point looking for a significantly better deal for your personal multirate energy peak vs off peak use mix.

Its therefore not the best wording output for a mse tool.

read a few posts from those losing the c6p rates at UW recently etc - for high or low users the balance on e7 between peak and off peak unit rates is often key. A similar thing happened c2023 with another supplier EDF who offered just sub 10p off peak rates in a few regions then increased by c6-7p iirc.

eschaton

If people don’t know if they’re on a price cap tariff then can we realistically expect them to be capable of using a simple tool?

What next, a tool to let you know if you have a fee paying bank account?

MSE_Clare

Thanks for your feedback! We've made some tweaks to the tool if you'd like to give it another go and let us know if there's more we ca improve?

Thanks
MSE Clare

QrizB

We've made some tweaks to the tool if you'd like to give it another go and let us know if there's more we ca improve?

Repeating my previous exercise, entering "Octopus Go" as my tariff now takes me straight to the "It's unlikely you're on the Price Cap" page without asking for any extra info.

👍Definitely an improvement!

victor2

Have just tried it. The suppliers are in a drop-down list but you have to type in your tariff name. You can type in any random characters and it just responds that you're not on the Standard Variable tariff.

This is it's response to mis-typing the tariff name:

Of course, if my tariff was called Standard Variable, there's every chance it is a standard variable tariff! 😉

Scot_39

Still not handling multirate profile class 2 recommendations correctly IMO

Can anyone else on E7 / E10 at their supplier - check the response wording ?

born_again

Would it not just be easier to list all the tariffs that are capped?

Given that they must be there in the background. Takes out any user error 🤷‍♀️

MWT

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81989222#Comment_81989222

I'm not entirely sure it is an improvement as there is the implicit suggestion that this is something to be concerned about, which of course it isn't.

The whole premise of this tool seems to be flawed, there are going to be many people on older fixed tariffs that are delivering much better prices than the current capped tariffs.