How do I switch energy supplier?

Switching compares two tariffs applied to your actual usage. Comparing on monthly direct debit amounts is meaningless, because those are estimates that suppliers set differently. Annual kWh is the number that makes the comparison real.

What you'll need

• A recent energy bill
• Meter readings
• Bank details (optional)

Step by step

1. Find your annual usage in kWh from a bill or annual statement.Separate figures for gas and electricity. Without this, any comparison is guesswork.
2. Note your current tariff name, unit rate and standing charge.The standing charge is a daily fixed cost regardless of usage. Low unit rates with high standing charges suit heavy users, and the reverse for light ones.
3. Check whether you are in a fixed contract and what the exit fee is.Leaving a fixed deal early can carry a fee. Compare that against the saving before switching.
4. Compare on total annual cost, not headline rates.Use a comparison service and enter your real kWh figures. The total annual cost is the only number that matters.
5. Consider the trade-off between fixed and variable.Fixed gives certainty at a small premium; variable follows the market both ways. Which is right depends on your appetite for uncertainty, not on which is cheaper today.
6. Take meter readings on the switch date.Photograph the meters. This is what prevents billing disputes over where one supplier's account ends and the next begins.
7. Let the new supplier handle it.They contact the old one. You do not need to cancel anything yourself, and cancelling the direct debit early causes problems.
8. Check the final bill from the old supplier carefully.Confirm it uses your switch-date reading and that any credit balance is refunded rather than quietly retained.

Tips

• Suppliers reserve their best tariffs for new customers, but always ask your existing one what they can offer before you leave. Sometimes it is competitive.
• Standing charges vary by region and supplier and are easy to overlook. On low usage they can dominate the bill.
• If you have a smart meter, check the new supplier can operate it in smart mode — some older meters revert to manual readings after a switch.

Common mistakes

• Comparing monthly direct debit amounts — Those are estimates set differently by each supplier and say nothing about the actual tariff.
• Cancelling the direct debit before the switch completes — It creates a debt with the old supplier and can block the switch entirely.
• Not taking a switch-date meter reading — Estimated readings at the changeover are the single most common cause of billing disputes.

Questions people ask