Energy Comparison: Compare Gas & Electricity - Uswitch (2023)

Energy bills are currently high because of a range of factors that have caused the price of wholesale energy to rocket. This means it costs energy suppliers more to buy the energy they supply customers with, and they therefore have to charge customers more to cover themselves financially.

The few fixed energy deals that are now available are likely to be extremely expensive, with standard variable tariffs now at the cheaper end of the market. If you're coming off a fixed deal, you're almost certainly going to have to pay more for your energy than you have been. A standard variable tariff, though, might be the most affordable option for you. Consider your options carefully and .

One way to reduce the amount you pay for your energy is to track how much you're using. Check that your bill is based on actual readings of your gas and electricity meters rather than estimated ones. It’s important to take your own readings so that you get charged accurately. Or consider getting a smart meter, which provides real-time meter readings and can help you monitor your energy usage — you can request one from your supplier or switch to a smart meter tariff.

It's going to be difficult, given the current state of the energy market, for many customers to find a cheap gas and electricity deal. Energy prices have risen by a significant amount, with deals hundreds of pounds more expensive than they were a year ago.

It may be the case that a standard variable tariff, which will be capped at £2,074 until October 2023, is the cheapest deal available for many customers, but some fixed deals could return and offer price certainty. Consider your options carefully and .

Since the price cap's introduction, it's fair to say that it hasn't really helped cut people's energy bills. The standard variable tariffs it applies to have still been the most expensive on the market, especially when compared to fixed deals.

However, with energy prices rocketing, there are no fixed deals available. The price cap was set to increase by 80% in October, but the government has announced an Energy Price Guarantee that has seen the cap frozen at £2,500 per year on average.

It’s important to remember that this is a cap on the unit rate of the energy you use - it is not a cap on your total bill. The less energy you use, the less you will pay - so you can still save money by managing your energy usage.

Find out more in our government announcement guide

The cheapest energy supplier for someone else isn’t necessarily the cheapest for you. That’s why we compare energy suppliers tailored to you to get the best energy deals.

Energy suppliers vary their pricing by region and your bill will also depend on your usage. Different energy suppliers also target different types of household, so some might offer their cheapest gas and electricity deal to a family home with high usage, while someone living alone with low usage might find a cheap energy deal with a different supplier.

The best gas and electricity supplier for you won’t necessarily be the cheapest. You can use Uswitch to filter by what’s important to you, whether that’s a large supplier or one that offers green energy plans.

We also know customer service is important, so we’ve assigned each supplier star ratings based on our energy customer satisfaction report to help you compare energy suppliers, from the well-known ‘big six’ to the smaller suppliers you might not be so familiar with.

Energy prices can change every day as they reflect the market changes. If you are on a variable plan, your rates may fluctuate throughout the year - they'll currently be at £2,500 but drop to £2,074 from July once the new price cap level kicks in. However, wholesale energy prices are still volatile and could go up or down, therefore affecting the price you pay.

On a fixed plan, your rates will stay the same during the fixed period.

Most of the UK’s energy suppliers are signed up to the Energy Switch Guarantee, which guarantees that the supplier you’re switching to will complete the process, and that it will be done within five days.

There’s also a two-week ‘cooling off’ period, during which you can cancel the switch free of charge.

You can switch energy supplier if you’ve been in debt for fewer than 28 days - the money you owe will be added to your final bill. If you’ve been in debt for longer, you probably won’t be able to switch until you’ve settled that debt (unless the supplier’s billed you incorrectly).

If you’re on a prepayment meter, you can switch as long as the debt to your current supplier isn’t greater than £500.

If you’re moving and you want to take your current deal with you, let your provider know - depending on where you’re moving to, you may be able to take it with you. Otherwise, you’re free to switch away from the supplier in residence at your new property in the normal way.

One thing to remember to do is take a meter reading on the day you move out, and take another one at the new property - this will ensure you’re only paying for what you use. Read more in our guide.

In order to switch energy supplier, you’ll need:

• Your address

• Your tariff name

Uswitch will collect your usage data and current supplier from your address details.

You don’t necessarily need all that to compare energy deals, but you run the risk of an inaccurate personal projection and savings estimate if you don’t provide as much information as possible at the start of the process.