Turn the clock back on heavy winter fuel bills

With clocks going back on Sunday 31st October Britain will officially be back in winter again. As well as cold weather, households can also look forward to heavy winter fuel bills as usage soars to combat the chill.

Such is the impact that six in ten people (61%) are already worried about the cost of their energy this winter.

But it doesn't have to be like this - by taking three simple steps households can turn the clock back on their winter energy bills, says uSwitch.com, the independent price comparison and switching service:

Move to dual fuel - this means getting both your gas and electric from one supplier. Energy companies offer valuable discounts for doing this

Pay by direct debit - suppliers also offer discounts to those customers who pay by monthly direct debit. This can make a substantial difference to bills, with the average household on a standard energy plan paying by cash or cheque forking out £98 a year more than those paying by direct debit
 
Sign up to an online plan - these are consistently the most competitive plans in the market, currently offering an average saving of £228 compared with being on a standard plan.
 
The average household energy bill today is £1,195 a year, up from £912 in January 2008. By moving to dual fuel, direct debit and going online you could cut this down to £967 a year, taking your bills back to a level last seen almost three years ago.

Ann Robinson, Director of Consumer Policy at uSwitch.com, says: "With the clocks going back winter is here. But instead of worrying about winter fuel bills consumers should be taking action. Moving to dual fuel, paying by direct debit and signing up to an online plan will wipe an average £228 a year off our bills. Add in a few energy efficiency measures on top and you can very easily turn the clock back on your energy bills, taking them back to pre-2008 levels".