News and information

Don't fall for this energy trap when moving home
Thursday, September 3rd 2009

Moving home is a stressful affair. On a par with divorce as one of life's most traumatic events, many of its anxieties come from dealing with people and situations over which we...

What's so great about paper bills? Top ten reasons to manage your gas and electricity account online
Wednesday, June 24th 2009

If you're reading this article, you're on the internet. Chances are you've already checked your bank balance this week, and you've probably paid a bill or two this month, but...

Stay cool for less this summer
Tuesday, June 23rd 2009

Recent soaring temperatures suggest this summer could be another scorcher. Temperatures for 2009 are expected to be above the 1971-2000 average and the Met Office currently believes we are "odds...

UK budget - no relief for energy consumers expected
Friday, April 17th 2009

Take these 3 steps to reduce your electricity bill by 40% instead
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The government's 2009 fiscal budget is unlikely to contain help for UK energy consumers. Whatever money...

The cheapest deal is a fixed price deal!
Wednesday, April 8th 2009

E.ON releases a great new offer for cash-strapped gas and electricity customers

On April 1st, the price drops announced by the leading energy suppliers became effective. Yet these new prices won't...

How gas and electricity comparison sites work
Tuesday, March 10th 2009

This article also appeared on AOL and can be seen here

If you've ever wondered how energy switching sites work and if you're really getting the best deal by...

Say goodbye to estimated bills with a new smart meter offering
Friday, January 30th 2009

first:utility, a company which has provided telephone services in the UK for many years, has recently expanded into the gas and electricity market with an innovative solution to an age-old...

Take your seat at the energy poker table
Wednesday, January 28th 2009

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...

Getting the best deal on flat screen TVs
Friday, January 9th 2009

Prices for flat-screen TVs are falling fast and with the January sales in full swing, it's a great time to find a bargain. On the high street this month, a...

Energy prices will stay high
Wednesday, January 7th 2009

Wholesale prices for energy have eased away from the extreme highs of 2008, raising expectations of price cuts on gas and electricity in the UK. Consumer groups and the government...

Why energy will never be cheap again
Thursday, November 13th 2008


Why energy will never be cheap again

By Florian Ritzmann


Wholesale prices for energy have taken a tumble recently and, with the UK economy in full retreat, expectations...

How to make sure you're on the best energy deal this winter
Tuesday, October 14th 2008

Simon Moynihan

As we move into October, home energy bills are arriving and UK households are seeing in bold print the effect of the summer's staggering price...

Are you wondering whether the tariff you want may be going up in price?
Friday, October 10th 2008

Have you every wondered whether the savings shown on some comparison services are too good to be true?

To help consumers switch with confidence, this service now warns about tariffs that...

Energy fuel measures - the government's missed opportunity
Thursday, September 11th 2008

The government today announced a package of measures to help the country cope with soaring fuel bills. These measures include:

  • A partial reversal of previously announced ...

Eat or Heat? What to do if you cannot pay your energy bills
Friday, August 29th 2008

Together with the terrible weather, shock increases on the price of gas and electricity have been distasteful features of this summer. And while we may yet enjoy a sunny autumn season,...

Come out as a winner in the energy wars
Tuesday, August 12th 2008

Looking back, 30th of July 2008 might well be marked as a watershed date for Britain's energy consumers. On that date, British Gas announced an unprecedented increase on...

Unique new green rating service launched
Monday, July 14th 2008
We are proud to have launched the first green rating service, helping consumers navigate the maze of green tariff offers with confidence. Instead of listing green tariffs by price or in...

How to find energy tariffs with price guarantees
Tuesday, July 1st 2008
Worried about the impending price increases for gas and electricity - you are right to!

With widespread expectations of 40% + increases by 2009, now really is the time...

History to repeat itself as British Gas sounds alarm
Friday, June 6th 2008

Simon Moynihan

British Gas increased prices on its Market Tracker tariff this week and every major news outlet covered the story. Many headlines were apocalyptic and spoke of 40% price...

Spark Energy launches
Thursday, May 1st 2008

A new competitor has entered the gas and electricity market - Spark Energy. Spark Energy is a UK-based startup company, and the first new entrant into the consumer market since...

Switching now offers best savings opportunity for rest of year
Thursday, April 10th 2008

By Florian Ritzmann

With the first quarter behind us, now is a good time to take stock of what has happened to British energy consumers since the start of 2008.

Energy...

Big Energy to be investigated following price hikes
Wednesday, February 6th 2008

MPs announced yesterday that they will be launching a full scale inquiry into the energy market.

The decision came after four of the big six energy companies increased prices last month...

British Gas hikes prices by 15 per cent
Friday, January 18th 2008

British Gas announced today that it will increase gas and electricity prices for domestic customers by 15 per cent. The move will add over £130 per year to the average...

Gloomy outlook as second energy provider increases prices
Friday, December 14th 2007

npower announced today that it will increase prices on its tracker tariff effective January 1st. npower became the second major energy supplier to increase prices following a similar announcement from...

Energy prices will increase by up to 17% after Christmas
Tuesday, December 11th 2007

Energy prices will increase by up to 17% after Christmas - take advantage of discounted fixed price offers now

When it rains it pours,  just as the credit crunch is...

Powergen changes its name to E.ON
Monday, December 3rd 2007

Powergen today changed its brand name to E.ON. The change will bring Powergen into line with its German multi-national parent brand name. The change is to the brand only, no...

FREE MONEY to keep the people you care for warm this winter
Friday, November 23rd 2007

Winter is just about here, and this year it won't be just the Christmas decorations to remind us. The rain was everywhere last week, and with it came a sharp...

Energy bills face uncertain prospects this winter
Thursday, October 11th 2007

Winter is around the corner, spelling darker days, colder weather  and higher gas and electricity bills. Alarms are being raised over the uncertainties raised by the coming winter, because recent...

Lock in the savings before energy prices go up again
Wednesday, September 5th 2007

Falling gas and electricity prices earlier in 2007 have made a difference to our pockets. Most suppliers (with the exception of EDF Energy, the main supplier to Londoners) lowered their...

Ofgem Scraps rule which allows customers to switch suppliers on 28 days notice
Wednesday, August 1st 2007

The energy markets regulator Ofgem today announced it was scrapping the long-standing 28 day rule, by which customers are free to leave their energy suppliers and switch to another supplier...

Saving Energy Gets Smart
Monday, July 16th 2007

Fifteen thousand people across the nation are soon to get smart meters as part of an energy savings trial. Smart meters will tell consumers exactly how much electricity their power...

Lights out in London tonight!
Thursday, June 21st 2007

Today between 9 and 10 p.m. the lights will be turned off to raise awareness of global warming. Many of London's most famous landmarks, including Buckingham Palace, Canary Wharf, the...

Too hot at home? Read this before buying an air conditioner.
Friday, June 1st 2007

Air Conditioners do's and don'ts: When you have young children, or are looking after the elderly, an air conditioner will be your weapon of last resort to beat the heat...

Energy efficiency will be a factor in the value of your property
Monday, April 30th 2007

Energy Performance Certificates will be required by all home sellers in England and Wales from June 1st and experts predict that most homes will score poor marks. Whether poor EPC grades will...

ScottishPower taken over by Spanish energy giant
Tuesday, April 24th 2007

Iberdrola, the second largest energy supplier in Spain completed its takeover of ScottishPower yesterday creating the third largest utility group in Europe. This news follows a number of high profile takeovers and...

Ofgem encourages consumers to switch
Monday, April 23rd 2007

The energy markets regulator Ofgem today announced that 4 million customers have switched suppliers in 2006, with 100,000 more switching in January and February this year than in the same...

Energy price decreases turn back the clock by one year only
Saturday, March 31st 2007

British Gas, npower, Powergen and Scottish and Southern Group, who between them service about 70% of British homes with gas and electricity, have recently announced double-digit price decreases for their...

Utilita relaunches exclusively on this service
Wednesday, February 21st 2007

We are pleased to announce that Utilita, a startup gas and electricity supplier based in Winchester, has today relaunched itself exclusively on this service. Utilita is an independent UK supply...

British Gas announces price cut
Thursday, February 8th 2007

British Gas announced today that it will cut its standard tariffs for gas by 17 per cent and for electricity by 11 per cent beginning 12 March 2007. British Gas...

Scottish and Southern Group re-affirm their intention to cut prices
Wednesday, January 31st 2007

Scottish and Southern, the company behind the Atlantic Electric and Gas, Southern Electric, Scottish-Hydro and Swalec supplier brands, have re-affirmed their intention to cut gas and electricity prices in the...

Four Million switch energy suppliers in 2006
Wednesday, January 17th 2007

Skyrocketing gas and electricity prices compelled a record breaking four million people to change energy suppliers in 2006. That figure was whopping 750,000 more than in 2005 according to the...

Powergen new Winter Warm discount tariff
Monday, November 6th 2006

Powergen has today launched a new EnergyOnline Winter Warm gas and electricity tariff. The tariff features all the current benefits of the existing EnergyOnline tariff, but features an attractive...

Scottish and Southern keep their price increase promise - but only just
Sunday, October 1st 2006

Following on from its promise not to raise prices further in 2006, Scottish and Southern Energy, announced a price increase would become effective on 01 January 2007. The average price...

energywatch calls for competition inquiry into high energy bills
Friday, September 29th 2006

Consumer watchdog energywatch has called into an official inquiry into high prices of as and electricity to settle "whether punishing energy prices in Britain are unavoidable or whether they can...

Scottish and Southern confirms 'no price increases this year'
Thursday, September 21st 2006

Scottish and Southern Group spokesman Alan Young confirmed that prices for its 7 million gas and electricity customers would remain on hold until next year. Scottish and Southern, which supplies...

Ofgem Chairman mutes the possibility of cheaper gas next year
Friday, August 25th 2006

The chairman of the UK energy regulator Ofgem Sir John Mogg, has speculated in an interview with the Financial Times that gas prices may fall in the coming year.

The chairman's...

EBICo Announces Gas and Electricity Price Increases
Wednesday, August 23rd 2006

EBICo - the not-for-profit energy supplier announced today that it will increase prices for both gas and electricity tariffs. Electricity tariffs will increase by an average of 21% and gas...

Powergen StayWarm customers now able to compare prices for alternative gas and electricity deals
Monday, August 21st 2006

Powergen StayWarm customers are now able to compare the competitiveness of their tariff using this service. StayWarm is available to citizens 60 years of age or older. Customers pay a...

Powergen announces gas and electricity price increase
Thursday, August 17th 2006

Powergen announces an 18.4% increase on its gas tariff and 9.7% increase on its electricity price. The increase affects all customers, except those that have previously signed up to a...

The high price of gas and electricity breaks UK inflation target for the second month running
Tuesday, August 8th 2006

The Bank of England's recent quarter point increase in base lending rates to 4.75% highlights the extent to which the increasing cost of gas and electricity is putting pressure on...

British Gas announce price increase, standard gas price up by 12%, electricity by 9%
Thursday, July 27th 2006

British Gas has announced that it will raise gas bills by 12.4% for its 10.7 million customers. The firm's electricity customers will also face a 9.4% increase in their bills...

EDF Energy announce price increase
Tuesday, July 25th 2006

EDF Energy have today announced a price increase of 19% on gas and 8% on electricity. The company cites the continuing rise in wholesale energy costs as the reason behind...

UK government publishes energy review
Tuesday, July 11th 2006

The UK government today published the results of its energy review, mapping out the thrust of energy policies to come. The most notable point in the review is a commitment...

Record Numbers Switch Energy Suppliers
Wednesday, July 5th 2006

Almost one million UK consumers switched energy suppliers in March this year - the highest number ever for a single month. In response to huge price increases from the nation's...

Powergen introduces new electricity-only online tariff
Friday, June 30th 2006

Powergen today introduces an electricity only version of its popular dual fuel EnergyOnline tariff. Customers without a gas supply can now benefit from Powergen's discounted electricity rate. The product is...

Ofgem announce initiative to speed up the implementation of smart meters
Friday, June 30th 2006

The UK energy regulator has announced an industry-wide intiative to speed up the development and deployment of 'smart meters'. Smart meters can be read remotely, and offer customers better information...

Consumers face 'brutal' energy price rises
Thursday, June 29th 2006

Jun 29 2006

Ellesmere Port Pioneer - IC Cheshire

A 10% hike in energy prices by ScottishPower has been branded as 'the latest blow in a brutal assault on consumers' by a...

ScottishPower announce price increase
Monday, June 26th 2006

ScottishPower today announced a price increase on all its tariffs. The company is raising the price of electricity by 10% and the price of gas by 17% respectively. The increase...

British Gas announces 14.2% price increase for Gas and Electricity
Tuesday, June 20th 2006

British Gas on 09/09 announced a price increase of 14.2% for its standard gas and electricity tariffs, effective from 19th September 2005. The new prices have been loaded and current...

Soaring energy bills break government's inflation target
Wednesday, June 14th 2006

Inflation in May was measured at 2.2% by the Office of National Statistics (ONS), against a government target of 2%. Increases in gas and electricity prices are largely to blame,...

Reading named as the UK's worst offending town for carbon dioxide emissions
Monday, May 22nd 2006

A study comissioned by British Gas has found that Reading households produce 6,189 Kg of carbon dioxide each, the equivalent environmental impact of flying 13,000 miles (two return flights between...

EU raids the offices of 20 energy companies in 6 member states
Thursday, May 18th 2006

EU antitrust regulators have carried out "unannounced inspections" on energy companies in six EU countries on suspicion of abusing their market power. The raids targeted gas groups in Austria, Belgium,...

Wholesale price squeeze on specialist green energy suppliers
Thursday, May 4th 2006

Customers of small specialist green energy suppliers are being put at a price disadvantage. Analysis carried out by unravelit shows that the price of electricity as supplied by smaller 'green-only'...

The ever-increasing cost of energy for your home
Thursday, May 4th 2006

Are you wondering by just how much energy prices have gone up in the last few years? We have compared average gas and electricity tariff data going back to January...

British Gas announces 22% gas and electricity increase
Friday, February 17th 2006

British Gas has announced that standard gas and electricity prices will increase by 22% as of March 01. Customers who signed up to British Gas's Discounted Electricity" tariff after 20/01/2006...

New Advanced Energy Search Tool allows users to enter their gas and electricity unit rates
Monday, January 9th 2006

A unique advanced search tool for energy customers has been launched. The enhancement allows customers with non-standard energy tariffs to perform always accurate savings comparison searches, and will particularly benefit...

Gas Pipeline Operators get green light to push up prices
Tuesday, November 1st 2005

The energy markets regulator Ofgem has agreed to allow the 4 leading UK gas pipeline operators to invest about £3.6 billion over the next 5 years. The investment plan is...