Why your energy bill might go up by £383 next month and how to avoid it
You won't believe how quick and easy it is to find a new deal - and save yourself hundreds of pounds
THOUSANDS of households could be set for a fright after when their energy bills go up this Halloween - unless they switch tariffs now.
Those on fixed energy deals could see gas and electricity bills leap by £122.82 when 14 dual fuel tariffs end on October 31.
If savvy customers are quick to shop around for a new deal, they could save as much as £366 just by switching.
Scottish Power customers on the Online Fixed Price Energy October 2016 tariff will see the largest average UK rise of £196.71 - that's an increase of 22 per cent.
Comparison website, Gocompare.com found that out of the 14 dual fuel tariffs set to expire, 11 will result in higher bills for customers if they allow themselves be rolled onto their supplier’s standard tariff.
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Suppliers with tariffs coming to an end include; Co-operative Energy, EDF Energy, First: Utility, Flow Energy, Npower, Sainsbury’s Energy and Scottish Power.
Ben Wilson, energy spokesperson at Gocompare.com, said: “With autumn well underway many families will be firing up the thermostat over the next few weeks.
Now is the ideal time to shop around and ensure that you’re not paying over the odds for your energy.
Ben Wilson
"Research found that Sunday, October 16 was when the majority of people turned on their central heating, so now is the ideal time to shop around and ensure that you’re not paying over the odds for your energy.
“While putting on an extra jumper could help save a little bit of money, you could save hundreds of pounds just by taking a few minutes to switch your energy supplier.
"Half of customers who switch their gas and electricity with Gocompare.com save at least £366."
A fixed tariff will guarantee that your energy bill will not increase over the next 12 months.
Now is the time to snap up a deal before prices rise for winter and tariffs are expected to be replaced with costlier ones - and it's a lot easier than you think.
You could save hundreds of pounds just by taking a few minutes to switch your energy supplier.
Ben Wilson
Scottish Power customers on the Online Fixed Price Energy October 2016 tariff will see the largest average UK rise of £196.71 .
Utility customers on the iSave Fixed October 2016 v2 tariff who live in the Norweb region - which includes Cumbria, Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Derbyshire, Cheshire and parts of North Yorkshire - will see the largest average regional increase and can expect a price rise of up to £382.89.
I want to save money by switching tariffs... How do I do it?
1. SHOP AROUND. Comparison websites make it simple for you to see what other deals are out there - and where you could be saving your pennies.
2. YOU'LL NEED YOUR DETAILS Before you can switch you'll need some basic details to hand, including:
Postcode
Name of current supplier
The type of energy offer you're currently on
How much you spend on gas and electricity (which you can find on a recent bill)
An recent meter reading
And your bank details
Most sites also have a usage calculator to estimate how much energy you use and how much you pay, and compare this to how much you would pay on other tariffs.
Have a look out for deals on , , and Cheap Energy Club at .
3. CHOOSE which one works for you and then make sure you constantly monitor your tariff.
This will help to make sure you remain with the cheapest supplier every month.
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