British Gas launches new tariff in time for winter

As the weather gets colder and people start to turn up their heating, energy companies are stepping up the fight to attract new customers.

British Gas is the latest supplier to launch a new tariff with the introduction of its ‘Click Energy 4’ tariff. The energy giant claims that it now offers the cheapest dual fuel rates of any of the major suppliers.

Karen Darby, founder of the price comparison service, SimplySwitch.com, comments: “It is great news for consumers that the energy companies are, once again, prepared to battle it out. Switching suppliers is now easier than ever before and energy firms need to compete on both price and service levels if they want attract and keep customers.

“This is a crucial time of the year for the energy industry and, like British Gas, Powergen and Scottish & Southern Energy have also introduced new deals ahead of the winter months. While British Gas currently tops the tables with its latest offering, its lead is only marginal and it has suffered recently from some well-publicised customer service problems. It will be interesting to see how the other suppliers respond to British Gas’ move over the coming weeks.

“While this new tariff can offer big savings, the most suitable tariff for the customer still depends on their circumstances, how much energy they use and which PES (Public Electricity Supplier) area they live in. Click Energy 4, for instance, is only available online or through a comparison service. Once signed up, the customer will need to read their own meter and enter the results online. Because of this, ‘online’ tariffs such as Click Energy 4 may not be suitable for the elderly, or those uncomfortable with online transactions.

“As winter draws in, anyone looking to save money on their household bills should use an impartial, energywatch-accredited price comparison service. There are huge price differences between the various providers and tariffs, but it’s up to the customer to be proactive and find out how much they could save by switching.”