What is collective switching?

The Energy Advice Line has welcomed an Ofgem ruling that requires energy suppliers to publicise "collective switch" tariffs on their Cheapest Tariff Message (CTM).

Suppliers are already obliged to include information on bills about the cheapest tariffs available and how much a customer might save by switching to the deal.

But under a new ruling, suppliers must also include details of the tariffs available through collective switches - those organised by a group of people who use their buying power to get a better deal.

Normally a customer would have to register with the collective before switching, but under the new ruling they will be able to switch after the collective rate has already been fixed.

"When carried out in a responsible and trustworthy manner, we value collective switches as an innovative way of engaging consumers and facilitating the switching process," Ofgem says. "Collective switches provide consumers, including the vulnerable, with another means of accessing better energy deals, which in turn enables them to save money."

But Julian Morgan, managing director of the price comparison, switching and advice service for energy users, said it was important for consumers to examine collective switch tariffs very carefully as often they were not as cheap as they appeared at first glance.

"There's no reason why more customers should not benefit from collective switch tariffs, an innovative way of securing good deals and encouraging consumers to switch," said Julian Morgan, managing director of the Energy Advice Line, the UK's leading price comparison, switching and advice service.

"But it's important to look at the details of the tariffs and ascertain wehther it is genuinely cheaper than other deals available elsewhere. The collective may not have had access to the best deals, for whatever reason, so consumers need to be careful."

Mr Morgan said there was no better way to find the best deal than shopping around and checking the market.

"You should do this yourself or use the services of a reliable and reputable service like ours. Our quotes are quick, simple and you can compare this with what you are already paying, or the collective switch tariff publicised on the CTM.

"The important thing is to stay in control of your energy supplies, switch regularly and make informed decisions. That's the best recipe for saving money on your energy bills."

The Energy Advice Line is a concumer champaign and an indepdendent price comparison and switching service for householders and small and medium-sized businesses. The service enables consumers to quickly and simply compare electricity and gas prices, and to switch to the best available deal on the market.

The service also offers free advice and a contract management service, including alerts to remind business consumers when their fixed-term energy contracts are about to end.

For further information, visit energyadviceline.org.uk

Only 1/5 business shop around for energy

Most small and medium-sized firms were missing out on savings by failing to shop around for their energy supplies.

Julian Morgan, managing director of the price comparison, switching and advice service for energy users, said he was shocked by the findings of the survey by independent supplier Opus Energy.

The survey found that 81% of small businesses failed to shop around for their energy supplies, while almost one-quarter were paying out-of-contract rates for their gas and electricity.

Significantly, 12% of businesses had never switched suppliers, opting to stay loyal to their existing energy company.

“It’s very clear, and actually quite shocking, to see that so many time-pressed small business owners and decision makers are simply not prioritizing their energy supplies,” Mr Morgan said.

“There’s no doubt that most of these firms are paying more than they need to by not switching – and depending on the size of the company and the sector they are in – this could amount to hundreds of pounds in lost savings each year.

“Those companies that have never switched suppliers have lost out the most, probably by a significant amount.”

Mr Morgan said many SME owners wrongly believed it was not worth their while to switch suppliers, and that it would be a long and complicated process to shop around.

“Nothing could be further from the truth, “ Mr Morgan said. “Using a reliable and reputable switching service like the Energy Advice line means business owners save themselves all the legwork. 

“And once we find them a cheaper deal, we handle the switching and provide a free contract management service as well. There’s no obligation and the service is free.”

Mr Morgan particularly appealed to small firms that had never switched suppliers, and those who were on expensive out-of-contract rates to shop around for good fixed-rate deals.

In other areas, the Opus Business Boost Report showed that the majority of UK SMEs were trying to manage their energy better and had adopted a positive attitude towards renewable supplies. 

Of the 500 SMEs surveyed, 78% said they were keen to be supplied with renewable energy and of these, 40% wanted it because of its smaller environmental impact and 38% to advance their green credentials. 

More than half (51%) of businesses already have smart meters to help them keep track of their energy use, although a fifth didn’t know how to use their meter.

The Energy Advice Line is one of the UK's leading price comparison and switching services for business and domestic energy customers. It is also an advocate for energy market reform and has campaigned for a better deal for energy users, including calling for a ban on cold calling and changes to regulations to make it easier for all consumers to switch suppliers.

The service is completely independent and free. Consumers can quickly and simply search the market for the best available energy deals from an extensive panel of small and large energy suppliers. The service also offers a free advice service for business energy customers throughout the to of their energy contracts.

For further information visit www.energyadviceline.org.uk

Which? reveals top energy deals for June

Is your energy contract up for renewal this month? Are you looking to switch supplier and save yourself a bit of money at the same time?

The team at Which? have taken it upon themselves to go through some of the cheapest deals on the market so you can be sure that you're saving money.

They've compared how this year's deals stack up against this time in 2016, and the good news is that they're looking, on average, £100 cheaper. 

Check out the full article from Which? here.

What's next? If you want to change your tariff simply give us a ring on 0800 915 1800 and let us know which you're thinking of switching too. We can then compare it with your existing tariff to see what kind of a saving you could make, or if there's another tariff that's even better for you. You can also check our quotes online at energyadviceline.org.uk

Switch collectively and save on your bills

The Energy Advice Line has welcomed an Ofgem ruling that requires energy suppliers to publicise "collective switch" tariffs on their Cheapest Tariff Message (CTM).

Suppliers are already obliged to include information on bills about the cheapest tariffs available and how much a customer might save by switching to the deal.

But under a new ruling, suppliers must also include details of the tariffs available through collective switches - those organised by a group of people who use their buying power to get a better deal.

Normally a customer would have to register with the collective before switching, but under the new ruling they will be able to switch after the collective rate has already been fixed.

"When carried out in a responsible and trustworthy manner, we value collective switches as an innovative way of engaging consumers and facilitating the switching process," Ofgem says. "Collective switches provide consumers, including the vulnerable, with another means of accessing better energy deals, which in turn enables them to save money."

But Julian Morgan, managing director of the price comparison, switching and advice service for energy users, said it was important for consumers to examine collective switch tariffs very carefully as often they were not as cheap as they appeared at first glance.

"There's no reason why more customers should not benefit from collective switch tariffs, an innovative way of securing good deals and encouraging consumers to switch," said Julian Morgan, managing director of the Energy Advice Line, the UK's leading price comparison, switching and advice service.

"But it's important to look at the details of the tariffs and ascertain wehther it is genuinely cheaper than other deals available elsewhere. The collective may not have had access to the best deals, for whatever reason, so consumers need to be careful."

Mr Morgan said there was no better way to find the best deal than shopping around and checking the market.

"You should do this yourself or use the services of a reliable and reputable service like ours. Our quotes are quick, simple and you can compare this with what you are already paying, or the collective switch tariff publicised on the CTM.

"The important thing is to stay in control of your energy supplies, switch regularly and make informed decisions. That's the best recipe for saving money on your energy bills."

The Energy Advice Line is a concumer champaign and an indepdendent price comparison and switching service for householders and small and medium-sized businesses. The service enables consumers to quickly and simply compare electricity and gas prices, and to switch to the best available deal on the market.

The service also offers free advice and a contract management service, including alerts to remind business consumers when their fixed-term energy contracts are about to end.

For further information, visit energyadviceline.org.uk

Don't put off switching!

The Energy Advice Line has urged small businesses that need to move premises to get in touch after a survey showed 20% of firms put off relocating because they cannot face changing service providers.

Julian Morgan, managing director of the price comparison, switching and advice service for energy users said it was unfortunate that so many business owners were staying in potentially inappropriate premises because dealing with suppliers was so hard.

“Small business owners should get in touch with us because we can sort out their business energy needs, leaving them free to get on with moving and ensuring their firms make a smooth transition to new premises,” Mr Morgan said.

Millions of consumers on 'energy autopilot'

Millions of businesses and households were missing out on substantial savings on their energy bills because they assumed they were on the cheapest tariff without actually checking, according to the Energy Advice Line.

Julian Morgan, managing director of the price comparison, switching and advice service for energy users, said a new survey by the Energy Saving Trust showed the extent to which UK consumers were unaware they were paying too much.

The survey found thatm ore than 13 million British households missed out on savings last year because they didn't switch suppliers. It also revealed that a large number of consumers were on 'energy autopilot', with nearly 60% of non-switchers believing they were on the cheapest tariff available, which the Trust said was unlikely.

"This is further evidence that many businesses and households are missing out on substantial savings on their energy bills because they wrongly assume they are on the cheapest tariff," Mr Morgan said.

"The truth is that energy prices are always fluctuating and suppliers are constantly changing their fixed and non-fixed deals.

"This means that no-one can assume they are on the cheapest tariffs without shopping around on a regular basis, and switching supplier accordingly."

Recent figures from the enegry regulator Ofgem show that households can save around £300 each year just by switching suppliers, yet the majority of consumers fail to do this.

In fact, the Energy Saving Trust survey showed that consumers were more than twice as likely to change home insurer than energy provider, with only 24% oh households having switched at least four times in the past decade.

"These figures should really trigger alarm bells with Ofgem and the government, and prompt them to do more to encourage consumers to shop around and switch," Mr Morgan said.

"Bill and tariffs are still too complex for consumers to be able to compare deals easily, so more needs to be done to make it as simple to switch their energy supplier and their insurer.

"The government also needs to drive home the message that the savings to be made from switching supplier regularly really are substantial.

"Mostp eople wouldn't contemplate throwing £300 down the drain - yet this is what they could be doing by not being pro-active when it comes to their energy supplies."

The Energy Advice Line is one of the UK's leading price comparison and switching services for business and domestic energy customers. It is also an advocate for energy market reform and has campaigned for a better deal for energy users, including calling for a ban on cold calling and changes to regulations to make it easier for all consumers to switch suppliers.

The service is completely independent and free. Consumers can quickly and simply search the market for the best available energy deals from an extensive panel of small and large energy suppliers. The service also offers a free advice line for business energy customers.

For further information visit energyadviceline.org.uk

Consumers should brace for price hikes

Consumers should ensure they shop around for the best energy deals now, following warnings by experts that the weaker pound is pushing up the cost of imported gas and electricity, according to the Energy Advice Line.

Julian Morgan, managing director of the price comparison, switching and advice service for energy users, said one supplier had already announced a 30% hike for around 70,000 of its customers.

GB Energy Supply, a new supplier that entered the market in January last year, recently announced it would increase average annual bills from £820 to £1,060 for customers on its standard variable deal. In August, OVO Energy announced a 3.6% increase and Co-operative Energy put up prices by 3% in October.

Industry analysts have predicted that other suppliers will follow suit. Samuel Tombs, chief UK economist at Pentheon Macroeconomics, was reported last week as saying that bills could go up by 5% in the short term and 15% over a longer period. This was in response to the wholesale costs for gas and electricity jumping by 20% and 50% respectively since the summer.

"It's now time to act without delay," Mr Morgan said. "Consumers need to shop around to get the best deals.

"The trend is upward for energy prices and consumers need to be pro-active to protect themselves from nasty surprises as the cold weather sets in.

"It's widely expected that the Big Six suppliers will raise their prices this winter, with potentially further price hikes to come down the track."

Mr Morgan said that consumers should shop around and consider locking themselves into fixed deals while they were still available. Although prices were generally on the rise, there were still very good competitive deals available.

"The potential savings to be made through switching are significant, particularly if you have never switched before, or haven't done so for a while," Mr Morgan said.

"Ofgem estimates consumers can save £300 annually but it very much depends on how often you switch.

"For those consumers on a standard energy tariff - by far the most expensive - the savings to be achieved by switching could be even more than £300 annually.

"And even for the very small minority of customers who switch suppliers regularly, shopping around is still well worth doing, even though the savings will be less."

The Energy Advice Line is a consumer champion and an independent price comparison and switching service for householders and small and medium-sized businesses. The service enables consumers to quickly and simply compare electricity and gas prices, and to switch to the best available deal on the market.

The service also offers free advice and a contract management service, including alerts to remind business consumers when their fixed-term energy contracts are about to end.

For further information, visit energyadviceline.org.uk

Not enough people switch

Record numbers of consumers switched energy supplier in July despite the summer holiday break, but millions are still paying over the odds for their gas and electricity, according to the Energy Advice Line.

New government figures show that 333,653 customers switched suppliers last month - 22% more than at the same time last year - bringing the total number of switchers for the year to 2.7 million.

"These figures are obviously good news, as switching is the best and cheapest way to save money on your energy bills," Mr Morgan said. "This fact is confirmed by the government and the regulator.

"The problem is that according to a recent report by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), 70% of the customers of hte Big Six suppliers are languishing on the most expensive standard tariffs.

"In other words, the vast majority of energy consumers in the UK could switch to a much cheaper deal - and save £300 a year in the process - but they don't.

"So while these recent figures are a step in the right direction, there is still a very long way to go."

The figures also show that 76,174 customers switched to small and medium suppliers in July, representing almost one-quarter of all switches. Mr Morgan said that this suggested consumers continued to lack confidence in the Big Six suppliers.

The government claims the record number of switchers is a result of government initiatives to make the switching process simpler, and by highlighting the benefits of changing supplier.

But Mr Morgan said more incentives were urgently needed to incentivise long-term non-switchers to engage with the market and save money in the process.

"Various initiatives have been put in place, such as providing customers with clearer and simpler information on their bills in order to be able to compare prices more easily," Mr Morgan said.

"But lots more needs to be done to persuade people who never shop around to do so, and to convince them that the savings that can be achieved can be considerable."

"I urge anyone who hasn't switched supplier recently - particularly the large numbers who haven't done so for years, to seek out some of the great deals that are around at the moment," Mr Morgan said.

"Using a reliable and independent service like the Energy Advice Line makes it quick and simple, and could potentially save you hundreds of pounds."

The Energy Advice Line is one of the UK's leading price comparison and switching services for business and domestic energy customers. It is also an advocate for energy market reform and has campaigned for a better deal for energy users, including calling for a ban on cold calling and changes to regulations to make it easier for all consumers to switch suppliers.

The service is completely independent and free. Consumers can quickly and simply search the market for the best available energy deals from an extensive panel of small and large energy suppliers. The service also offers a free advice line for business energy customers.

For further information visit energyadviceline.org.uk

£200 can be saved by switching alone

The Energy Advice Line has welcomed the findings of a top-level probe that has found consumers can save around £200 a year by switching energy supplier.

But Julian Morgan, managing director of the price comparison, switching and advice service for energy users, said it was crucial for the government to work out why some consumers were failing to switch, thereby losing out on savings.

An analysis of energy bills by the Department of Energy & Climate Change’s (DECC) Domestic Fuel Enquiry has found that 13.5 million households in the UK are losing out on a total of £2.7 billion by staying loyal to their supplier.

What is the Feed in Tariff?

Consumers shopping for cheaper business electricity rates should ensure that they compare like-for-like tariffs following changes in the way some suppliers itemise their bills, according to the Energy Advice Line.

Some customers could be signing up to deals unaware that a Feed-in Tariff (FiT) charge was payable on top.

Suppliers must support collective switching

The Energy Advice Line has welcomed an Ofgem ruling that requires energy suppliers to publicise "collective switch" tariffs on their Cheapest Tariff Message (CTM).

Suppliers are already obliged to include information on bills about the cheapest tariffs available and how much a customer might save by switching to the deal.

But under a new ruling, suppliers must also include details of the tariffs available through collective switches - those organised by a group of people who use their buying power to get a better deal.

Normally a customer would have to register with the collective before switching, but under the new ruling they will be able to switch after the collective rate has already been fixed.

"When carried out in a responsible and trustworthy manner, we value collective switches as an innovative way of engaging consumers and facilitating the switching process," Ofgem says. "Collective switches provide consumers, including the vulnerable, with another means of accessing better energy deals, which in turn enables them to save money."

But Julian Morgan, managing director of the price comparison, switching and advice service for energy users, said it was important for consumers to examine collective switch tariffs very carefully as often they were not as cheap as they appeared at first glance.

"There's no reason why more customers should not benefit from collective switch tariffs, an innovative way of securing good deals and encouraging consumers to switch," said Julian Morgan, managing director of the Energy Advice Line, the UK's leading price comparison, switching and advice service.

"But it's important to look at the details of the tariffs and ascertain wehther it is genuinely cheaper than other deals available elsewhere. The collective may not have had access to the best deals, for whatever reason, so consumers need to be careful."

Mr Morgan said there was no better way to find the best deal than shopping around and checking the market.

"You should do this yourself or use the services of a reliable and reputable service like ours. Our quotes are quick, simple and you can compare this with what you are already paying, or the collective switch tariff publicised on the CTM.

"The important thing is to stay in control of your energy supplies, switch regularly and make informed decisions. That's the best recipe for saving money on your energy bills."

The Energy Advice Line is a concumer champaign and an indepdendent price comparison and switching service for householders and small and medium-sized businesses. The service enables consumers to quickly and simply compare electricity and gas prices, and to switch to the best available deal on the market.

The service also offers free advice and a contract management service, including alerts to remind business consumers when their fixed-term energy contracts are about to end.

For further information, visit energyadviceline.org.uk

One Million Consumers Ditch Big Six

New figures that show more than one million consumers ditched the Big Six suppliers in favour of smaller companies over the past year were no surprise, according to the Energy Advice Line.

Julian Morgan, managing director of the price comparison, switching and advice service for energy users, said there had been a noticeable drift away from the major suppliers in the past year.

"Years of bad service and high prices have taken their toll on the Big Six and these figure confirm that," Mr Morgan said.

Survey reveals 50% of SMEs can't pay their energy bills

More small and medium-sized firms should seek help with reducing their energy bills says The Energy Advice Line.

Julian Morgan, managing director of the price comparison, switching and advice service for energy users, said a new survey by Vickers Energy Group suggested firms were not taking control of their gas and electricity supplies.

"It's crucial for SMEs not to put their energy supplies in the too hard basket and just coast along hoping for the best," Mr Morgan said.

Failing to Shop Around Results in a Loss of Savings

 Most small and medium-sized firms were missing out on savings by failing to shop around for their energy supplies, according to the Energy Advice Line following the release of a new report.

Julian Morgan, managing director of the price comparison, switching and advice service for energy users, said he was shocked by the findings of the survey by independent supplier Opus Energy.

The survey found that 81% of small businesses failed to shop around for their energy supplies, while almost one-quarter were paying out-of-contract rates for their gas and electricity.

Go Independent for Better Service

 SMEs right to consider independent energy suppliers, says Energy Advice Line

The Energy Advice Line has urged SMEs to consider switching to independent energy suppliers following a report showing they enjoy higher customer satisfaction ratings than the Big Six.

Julian Morgan, managing director of the price comparison, switching and advice service, said Datamonitor’s B2B Energy Buyer Customer Satisfaction survey showed small firms continued to be unhappy with the major suppliers.

#SmallBizSat is Here Again - We're Here For You

Calling all small businesses! We're here to help you this winter, in fact we're here to help you all year round. The festive season is upon us once more and the purse strings are tighter than ever - every little helps when it comes to saving at the festive season. The easiest way to save on energy bills? Switching.

Switching is easily overlooked as so many perceive it to be too much hassle, but in reality it's easier than ever. The gurus at Energy Advice Line are here for you. We'll find you the cheapest quote available on the market right now based on your own consumption rates, and where you are in the country. Not only that but once we have all the details your personal advisor will complete the process for you.

Be Wary of Your Renewal Rates

Customers need to be wary of not ignoring their renewal letter when it arrives from their current business electricity supplier.

A number of suppliers in the UK will tend to offer a renewal rate that is 30-40% in excess of the current retail price with the primary objective that the customer will not act on the letter so that the contract can be rolled over onto more expensive renewal rates.

Catering Sector Should Save Energy & Shop Around

Britain's catering sector should take control of energy costs by cutting waste and shopping around for better deals to recude it's £1.3 billion annual spend on energy, according to Energy Advice Line.

A survey of 150 restaurant owners, managers and chefs carried out by Big Six energy supplier E.ON showed energy worries came second only to staff issues, yet three-quarters admitted they didn't know how to reduce their energy consumption.

Energy Provider Fined Over Blocking Switches

A pre-payment energy provider has been given a £560,000 penalty from regulator Ofgem after it wrongly prevented it's customers from switching to other suppliers. Utilita were established in 2003 and have been suppling customers with pre-payed gas and electricity since.

Ofgem found that the company had blocked as many as 4,000 of it's customers from switching supplier when they requested. Included in the fine, £110,000 worth of refunds will be issued to the customers affected, reimbursing those who lost out financially as a direct result of not being given permission to switch their supplier.

Energy Advice Line Renews Call for an End to Cold Calling

The Energy Advice Line has renewed demands for a ban on cold calling after a firm was handed a record fine for making people's lives 'a misery' with nuisance calls.

The Information Commissioner fined the company £200,000 after making more than 6 million automated calls in a solar panel marketing campaign.

Julian Morgan, managing director of the price comparison, switching and advice service for householders and business energy users, said the case was further proof that unsolicited sales calls were not welcome by consumers and should be banned.

The Energy Advice Line has spearheaded a campaign for the energy regulator Ofgem to ban the practice of cold calling because it placed undue pressure on consumers to agree to energy deals that were not necessarily the cheapest available.