Don’t pay more than you have to for energy this year
Wales’ Consumer champion is calling on people in South Wales to save money in 2010 by switching to a cheaper energy deal.
Consumer Focus Wales’ quarterly Domestic Energy Report shows that the typical south Wales energy customer* could save up to 25 per cent a year on their current bills by changing their energy suppliers and the way they pay for gas and electricity.
The typical South Wales customer is supplied by British Gas for their gas and by Swalec for their electricity, and pays quarterly by cash or cheque.
Consumer Focus Wales has found that by changing to paying by direct debit, they could save a total of £58 a year.
If the average customer were to switch to a dual fuel tariff with one of their current suppliers, and paid by direct debit, they could save around £120.
But the greatest savings would be made by switching to a dual fuel tariff managed online, where the typical energy customer could save as much as £316 a year, which is 25 per cent of their total bill.
Figures show 70 per cent of standard credit electricity customers in South Wales have remained with the original supplier for their area** since 1999, when they were first able to switch suppliers for a cheaper deal.
Ceri Williams, Senior Policy Advocate for Consumer Focus Wales, said: “Switching energy tariffs is a straightforward process and can save consumers hundreds of pounds over the course of a year.
“Energy costs are still at historically high levels, so it is important that consumers shop around for the best tariff.”
A number of price comparison sites and phone lines are available to help consumers switch. The Consumer Focus Confidence Code ensures that these price comparison websites are independent and impartial. Consumers using an accredited site can be confident they are seeing all available tariffs and that the results are completely unbiased.
Notes:
Consumer Focus Wales publishes quarterly information on the domestic energy market in Wales.
South Wales refers to the former Swalec region
*The typical South Wales customer is supplied by British Gas for their gas and by Swalec for their electricity, and pays quarterly by cash or cheque, paying on average £1,263 a year for both fuels.
**DECC, Quarterly Energy Prices, December 2009. Percentage of domestic electricity customers by region by supplier type.
A copy of the report can be viewed by clicking here
