Last Thursday, British Gas announced a 10% reduction in the price of gas for most of its customers. Any price cut is good news, but what was left out of British Gas' announcement is also of significance. Firstly, Britain's largest supplier did not announce any reduction in the price of electricity - which British Gas supplies to about 6 million households. Secondly, the company did not publish the new rates with the announcement.

British Gas' announcement should be seen as the first move in a poker game that is likely to last another four weeks, when British Gas' announcement becomes effective. Here is what you must know to benefit.

10% - is that it?

Probably yes. British Gas is the biggest gas supplier in the UK, so if it lowers its price by 10%, other suppliers won't feel pressure to move prices by more. Things may be different with electricity, where British Gas may well have taken the decision to wait for another supplier to cut first. In other words, a small cut on electricity (probably less than 10% across the board), is still on the cards in the coming weeks.

So when should I look for the best deal?

Because energy consumption varies by season, our tip is to check for the best rate when it is cold. We do not recommend waiting for a particular moment, as is sometimes recommended by other experts.

Anytime in the next four weeks will be a good time, but know this: energy suppliers tend to offer very attractive discount rates to sign up new customers.

These tariffs tend to be "versioned". This means that any particular version of a tariff is available for a few months only, before being replaced by the next version. Because energy prices have fallen since the summer, the next version of the same tariff is likely to be cheaper than the previous. By visiting a price comparison calculator every six months, you will be able to see if the deal that you signed up for is still the best.

What should I look out for?

The notes above should give you an idea of the main differences between the leading suppliers. There is more information on our website (and many more tariffs to choose from), so ensure that you read up on everything before signing up for a supplier switch.

Should I sign up for a guaranteed capped deal?

Capped prices (where unit rates are either fixed, or guaranteed not to rise for a set period of time) are important if you need to make sure that your energy budget remains stable. As a rule of thumb, a capped deal is recommended if it was within 10% of the cheapest uncapped offer, and if the capped period was for two years or more. If no such offer can be found, it is better to go for the cheapest uncapped deal.

I signed up for a capped price offer last year - what should I do?

This depends on when you signed up, as capped prices are all versioned. For example, if you signed up 12 months ago, when the market was awash in cheap long-term pricefix deals, then we strongly recommend that you stay where you are. Your rates would have been set way before the explosion in energy prices that drove the increases of last summer.

However, if you signed up after August 2008, then the picture is more varied, as you are likely to be on rates that could be significantly above current market prices. In either case, think carefully before abandoning your current capped rate.

Compare suppliers to determine the price difference between your current capped rate and the best offer, but also check with your supplier whether you'd be liable to pay a penalty if you leave your current capped offer before the end of the price guarantee period. Only consider switching if there is a saving to be had after paying such a penalty.

Should I go direct to the supplier?

We do not recommend this. Comparing and switching through our comparison service means that on those rare occasions where things go wrong and your supply is not taken over within the standard four weeks, you can fall back on us to help you out.

There have also been cases where customers ended up signing up to the wrong tariff, after contacting the supplier directly. Finally, you won't get it even cheaper by going direct. You cannot negotiate rates directly with an energy supplier to get an extra discount for your home.

We hope that with this information you'll be able to make the best decision for you and your family in the coming days and weeks. Don't forget to check out our comparison service, which can offer a lot more still.