With costs increasing at the coldest time of year, households should take some steps beforehand to ensure they are accurately charged for the energy they have used in the past three months.
With energy prices due to rise on January 1, Uswitch.com is offering its top tips to help households prepare for their winter bills.
People can check their payments and meter readings, track their energy usage and make small changes around the home to try to save money this winter.
Natalie Mathie, energy expert at Uswitch.com, said: “The cost of energy for households on standard variable tariffs is going up on January 1, which means energy bills are likely to be the highest they’ve ever been for most homes this winter.
“With costs increasing at the coldest time of year, households should take some steps beforehand to ensure they are accurately charged for the energy they have used in the past three months.
“Households without a smart meter should submit their readings to their supplier on or around December 31. This will ensure your usage from December will be charged under the cheaper rates, and not the more expensive January prices.
“Remember that the size of your bill is determined by how much energy you use. The more you use, the more you’ll pay. This means it’s more important than ever to keep an eye on your energy usage and submit regular meter readings.
“Households who would like more price certainty over the winter months should see what fixed deals are available on a comparison site like Uswitch.”
CHECK
- Check your meter readings are up to date. Those without a smart meter should submit regular meter readings to their supplier. This keeps one’s bills accurate and lets their supplier modify their direct debit to match their usage.
- Submitting a meter reading just before the rates change — on or around December 31 — will ensure people are charged the correct amount for the energy they’ve used in recent months.
