British Gas - no standing charge

saving33

Hi can anyone help? I was told about the BG essential tariff - which although I am not on benefits I was told it was available to me (yet the discussions on the forum seem to say it is for people on benefits ) and that I would not get charged a standing charge(which seemed a good idea). These now seem to me to be two diffrent things and I am considering if it is worth changing anyway for the no standing charge or not to go ahead with the change to BG after all.

SwanJon

I think pretty much all suppliers offer no standing charge (PP is different).
The essentials tariff gives you the DD discount no matter how you pay.

saving33

Thanks for that. So just to make sure I understand this even if I am not on benefits the essential tariff is an option.

SwanJon

I'm not exactly sure of the criteria, who suggested you qualify?
Have you looked at the criteria (there's a link on here somewhere?

Cardew

All suppliers* have in effect a 'standing charge'.

With some it is a daily charge and you pay for all your gas/electricity at a single rate.

The majority now have a 2 tier rate for your gas and electricity. With this you pay a higher price for the first xxkWh and then a lower rate. Most of the time it works out the same as a daily standing charge - other than periods when you use very little gas/electricity when you can make slightly.

* Ebico are the exception - they charge a flat rate for all units with no s/c.

saving33

Thanks. Think that by the looks of things it has been a sales pitch I have brought into.