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What's happening in the energy market?
The price cap level dropped to an average £1,923 from 1 October. However suppliers are beginning to reintroduce some new deals to the market, which is good news for 14 million households wanting to switch to a fix. With the market still volatile, though, it's difficult to predict whether choosing one or sticking with a standard variable tariff will save you money in the longer term. Consider your options carefully and stay up to date by subscribing to our new letters. We’ll help you decide what to do.
What are the pros and cons of fixing energy now?
Do consider exit fees. You may change your mind about your fixed deal and want to switch. If this happens after your 14-day cooling-off period, you might have to pay an exit fee. Not all tariffs have them but most do, so make sure you know whether yours does.
Do consider the length of the deal. Most deals are for 12 or 24 months. During this time the price cap could rise or fall depending on market conditions, so consider how long you would like to stay locked in for.
Do stay informed. It’s important to keep a close eye on the market and run regular comparisons to see what deals are on offer. By signing up to PowerSwitch Alerts, you will be able to stay close to what’s happening in the energy market and be informed when a good deal comes along.
Don’t just look at the direct debit amount. The price you pay through Direct Debit each month is usually based on the estimated amount you will use over a year and may not be the actual cost. Make sure you look at the unit price and standing charge so you can understand how much you will be charged for your energy usage and how it compares to what you are currently paying.
Meantime here’s some tips on cutting your energy costs at home which we hope helps too.
1. Turn off standby appliances
Turn appliances off at the plug to save an average of £30 a year.
Use plug sockets that can be turned on and off via your phone, to make sure you switch unused appliances off. You could use cheaper timer plugs to schedule turning appliances off.
2. Install a smart thermostat
These can make your heating more efficient by only warming the rooms you are using.
They learn how long it takes to heat your home, so they can have it at the right temperature at exactly the right time.
They can also be controlled by your phone, which means you won?t have to come back to a cold home.
If you installed room thermostats, programmers and thermostatic radiator valves, you could save around £75 a year.
3. Turn down your thermostat
Almost half the money spent on energy bills is absorbed by heating and hot water costs.
Turning your heating down by just one degree could save up to £80 a year.
4. Buy efficient appliances
Throwing out a perfectly good appliance won?t save you much money, but when it is time to swap, going for one with a high energy-efficiency rating can be worth the investment.
An A+++ washing will typically use £65 less energy than an A+ one over an 11-year product lifespan.
A modern, efficient dishwasher will typically cost around £7 less a year to run compared to an older model.
An A+++ fridge freezer will save around £320 in energy bills over its lifetime compared to an A+ model.
5. Install a new boiler
You can save energy by upgrading your boiler to a new A-rated condensing boiler with a programmer, room thermostat and thermostatic radiator controls.
Based on fuel prices in March 2019, a detached house upgrading from a G-rated boiler could save around £300 a year.
6. Wash clothes at a lower temperature
Washing at 30 degrees rather than 40 degrees can help reduce your energy usage, and if you can cut out one wash cycle per week you’ll clip £5 off your annual energy bill.
7. Be smarter about water
You can save around £25 a year by washing up in a bowl rather than using a running tap.
Buying a more efficient shower head can save you as much as £18 per person a year on energy bills, plus an additional amount if you have a water meter.
If you fit a shower timer in your bathroom, you could save up to £7 per person each year by cutting just one minute off every shower.
8. Invest in double glazing
Double glazing insulates your home from the cold and helps reduce your heating bill, as well as keeping the noise out.
If your semi-detached home is entirely single glazed, you could save as much as £110 a year by installing A-rated double glazing.
9. Draught-proof your property
A cold draught can cause your home to lose heat, which makes it more tempting to turn the heating up. Draught excluders or draught-proofing kits are a good way to prevent this.
Seal cracks in floors and skirting boards, line your letterbox and block an unused chimney to reduce your heating bills by up to £35 a year.
If you don't have double glazing, you can buy plastic lining for your windows to save energy and keep more heat in.
10. Insulate the roof
Insulating your roof can stop heat escaping from your home ? however the process can be complicated so it may be best to employ an expert to do this.
While insulating your loft can cost several hundreds of pounds, it can also shave around £135 off your energy bills each year if you live in a typical semi-detached house.
11. Monitor your usage
Keeping a watchful eye on your consumption levels can help you decide if and when you have to change the way you use energy.
Installing a Smart Meter lets you track your consumption with accurate and real time information.