Switch now to save money on energy bills

With only one supplier left to go, uSwitch.com is adding its voice to other industry commentators who are now urging consumers to start shopping around for a better energy deal today - the potential £350 saving from switching far outweighs any benefits from price cuts:

Five suppliers have announced price cuts, but only British Gas customers have actually seen these reductions on their bills

Price cuts announced to date average out at 4.6% or £60, yet price increases last year added up to an eye watering 42% or £381

Average household energy bill in January 2008 was £912. In January 2009 it was £1,293 - price cuts to date will only bring it down to £1,243

Moving to dual fuel, paying by direct debit and signing up to the most competitive online plan could save consumers up to £350 - average online plan costs £1,118, but average standard plan for someone who has never switched costs £1,243.

Will Marples, energy expert at uSwitch.com, says: "With households battling off the effects of the recession, bringing the cost of energy bills down is a priority. The savings of up to £350 that could be made by switching to a competitive energy deal far outweigh the benefits of suppliers' price cuts. It's time for consumers to start helping themselves.

"The key steps to lowering your energy bills are to move to dual fuel, pay by direct debit and sign up to an online energy plan. You should then use simple energy efficiency measures to cut down on the amount of energy you use. If you follow these steps you could save up to £350 - potentially £290 more than suppliers will give you in price cuts."