Christmas comes early courtesy of British Gas

Gareth Kloet, Head of Utilities at Confused.com comments on the new Websaver tariff from British Gas: "It's good news that British Gas has finally provided a worthy price challenger to OVO with its new Websaver 5 tariff. Undercutting its previous offering, the now withdrawn Websaver 4, by 6.5%, this offer is open to new customers paying by direct debit, who are willing to manage their account online. This is yet another indicator that energy companies are passing on savings to customers, but only those willing to seek them out - there is no reward for apathy.

"This tariff has a broad appeal as more and more people are opting for the saving-rich route of paying by direct debit. Coming in at top of the best buy tables in seven out of 14 regions, star performer of the big 6, and with the security of a price guaranteed to be 6% lower than their standard rate until 2011, this is an attractive prospect for those looking to make savings for Christmas and protect themselves from future price rises in the new year.

"Whilst best buy tables provide a good indication of the market as a whole, it's important they are used in tandem with a Consumer Focus accredited comparison site to make sure customers get the most appropriate tariff for their circumstances."