To give you an idea of the best energy tariffs currently available from a range of suppliers, it’s not a bad idea to use a ‘best buy’ table as a point of reference. Below, we’ve listed the current tariffs vying for the top slot.
However, it should be noted that these are intended as a guide only. They may not necessarily be the best buys for you, as they are based on average UK consumption levels*, whereas your own use may be different. Plus these figures may be subject to regional variations, and some of the named tariffs may be unavailable in certain regions (see below). To get a more accurate picture, you can compare tariffs at Confused.com and find a tariff best suited to your specific circumstances.
Best Buy Table
* Based on average annual consumption of 20500 kWh gas and 3300 kWh electricity. Prices correct at 1 September 2010.
Tariff Key Features
British Gas - Websaver 9
- Average bill of £979 per year
- Only available if you manage your account online and pay by Direct Debit
- Available to both new and existing customers
- Prices guaranteed to remain at least 6% below British Gas’s standard prices until 1 October 2011
- Cancellation fees apply - £30 for each fuel, so £60 for a Dual Fuel tariff
e.on - SaveOnline 3
- Average bill of £894 per year
- Only available if you manage your account online and pay by Direct Debit
- Fixed-term contract with discounted rates until 1 November 2011
- If you leave before the tariff expiry date you will have to pay £30 if you’re on a Dual Fuel tariff, £10 for an electricity-only tariff
EDF - OnlineS@ver 7
- Average bill of £967 per year
- Supersedes Online S@ver 6, increasing the average price by £63 per year
- Minimum 2% discount off EDF’s standard prices guaranteed until the end of December 2011
- Cancellation fees of £60 for a Dual Fuel tariff, £30 for single fuels
npower – Sign Online 19
- Replaces version 18. At £890, it's £14 more expensive per year
- 2% discount compared to npower's standard tariff until 30 September 2011
- Customers must pay by Direct Debit and manage their account online
- You must stay with npower for at least a year to qualify for your dual fuel discount
- £20 per fuel exit fee (i.e.£40 for a Dual Fuel tariff) if you leave before 30 September 2011
ScottishPower - Online Energy Saver 10
- With an average bill of £915 per year, this is currently Scottish Power's lowest price tariff
- Prices 2% lower than their standard monthly Direct Debit prices until 31st October 2011
- Cancellation fees apply if you leave before the expiry date - £50 for Dual Fuel accounts, £30 for electricity only, £20 for gas only
- Only available if you manage your account online
- Scottish Power offer cashback if you are in credit at your annual reassessment date
Scottish & Southern – Go Direct 5
- Only available through the Scottish & Southern Energy brands (Southern Electric, Swalec, Scottish Hydro Electric)
- Only available to new customers who are able to manage their account online
- Fixed prices available until 31 December 2011
- Cancellation fee of £50 if you leave this tariff before 31 December 2011
first:utility - iSave 4
- Replaced version 3 with an average annual bill of £954
- Annual price includes an annual Dual Fuel discount of 10% which is deducted from your bill at the end of the year after 12 consecutive Direct Debit payments
- Unfortunately this tariff doesn’t include a free Smart Meter which we were used to with their previous tariffs
- Fifirst:utility have a strict vetting procedure with this tariff only being available to homeowners, those connected to the mains gas network as well as a number of other factors
OVO Energy – New Energy
- Average bill of £925 per year
- The tariff remains fixed for 12 months after your contract signing date – at which point you can choose to fix your tariff again, or choose a variable rate product
- OVO also has the ‘greenest’ standard energy which takes 15% from renewable sources
- Only available to customers willing to manage their account online
- If you want to leave before your contract period is up, you will have to pay a cancellation fee of £60 for a Dual Fuel tariff, £30 for a single fuel tariff.
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