Best value energy providers for each region revealed

After the recent spate of energy price rises from three of the ‘Big Six' providers, moneysupermarket.com analyses the energy deals across the UK revealing the savings to be had in all 14 regions.

SSE, British Gas and ScottishPower have all announced price increases, just as the most costly time of the year for heating your home approaches. Now the UK is in the grip of a ‘Big Freeze' the timing of these hikes couldn't be worse for struggling bill payers who hoped to be spending their money on Christmas festivities and not warding off the winter weather.

Ofgem has said it will investigate these increases, which is good news for consumers, but as the results will not be known until early in the New Year, UK bill payers will need to be on the lookout for ways to save on the cost of heating as Christmas approaches.

The best way to make a saving on your energy bills is to ensure that you are on the best value energy tariff for your area and consumption level.  Many British bill payers aren't aware of discrepancies in the cost of energy tariffs across the UK distribution regions, which results in significant differences in pricing across the country.  As a result, some bill payers who switch from their current incumbent tariff to the best deal on the market could save as much as £462.

Research from moneysupermarket.com found that households can save £405 a year each by swapping away from their incumbent tariff to the best online dual fuel deal available at the moment. Ofgem research shows 58 per cent of gas customers have never looked for a better deal, with 57 per cent of electricity customers remaining apathetic. Therefore, of the 27 million households in the UK, at least 15million have never moved away from their incumbent gas or electricity supplier.

Despite slight variations in the price of its online tariff, EDF Energy currently reigns as offering the best dual fuel energy deals, with its Online saver 7 tariff currently the cheapest dual fuel provider in all 14 UK regions thanks to a £100 welcome bonus  which is available for a limited time.

Scott Byrom, manager of energy at moneysupermarket.com, said: "We use around 40 per cent of our total annual consumption during the winter months so the increases from major providers couldn't have come at more awful time for bill payers. Everyone needs to ensure they are on the best tariff for their region and usage, and shouldn't be lulled into thinking they will automatically get the cheapest deal if living in a providers ‘core' area."

For many, opting for a ‘fixed' tariff offers much needed financial security; effectively safeguarding against future price hikes. Across all 14 UK regions, on average, fixed tariffs come in £195 cheaper than the incumbent provider.

Scott Byrom continued: "We urged people to ‘fix' their energy bills back in the summer to ride out all these price rises, but if you missed out then it's still not too late. You'll pay slightly more that you would have if you'd locked in then, but OVO Energy's fixed tariff (at £993 a year for the average household) is cheaper than a standard tariff so you can still save money. Fixing now will ensure any future price increases will pass you by, and most importantly won't hit your wallet as hard during these cold, and more costly, winter months."

Top tips to keep energy bills down this winter:

Replace light bulbs with energy saving versions.

Is your hot water too hot? For most, setting the thermostat at 60°C/140°F is fine for bathing.

Don't leave the fridge door open longer than necessary and defrost freezers regularly.

When cooking leave saucepan lids on as this will allow you to turn down the heat.

Don't use more water than you need when boiling a kettle as it takes much more electricity to boil a full kettle each time than just enough water for a cuppa or two.

For those willing to spend money to save money, loft insulation is a great investment. Up to 25 per cent of heat loss occurs through lofts that are not insulated.

Cavity wall insulation can also prove to be a big money saver. Insulation can save up to 35 per cent of heat loss through walls.

Invest in a lagging jacket for your hot water tank and insulate pipes-this will pay for itself in a few months with the money saved

Turning your thermostat down by 1°C could cut your heating bills down by up to 10 per cent. If you are going away for winter leave the thermostat on a low setting to provide protection from freezing at the minimum cost.

For more information, visit moneysupermarket.com.