Have you recently moved or considered moving to a new property in the UK? Then you may want to find out more about who supplies your household energy.
Did you know that the average domestic energy bill can amount to almost £1,326 per year? Not only is this extremely expensive, but there is a good chance that you are also overpaying drastically for your energy usage. The good news is that if you know who your energy supplier is, you can get a better deal and start saving.
Sometimes, you might face the issue of not being quite sure who your supplier is. But the good news is that it is quite easy to find out who your energy supplier is, as well as the services they provide you. If needed, you can then switch to get a better deal on your household energy.
This guide will help you understand:
- How to find your energy supplier
- Why you should switch energy supplier
- How to switch energy suppliers
Finding who your energy supplier shouldn’t be difficult. We’ll make sure to give you all the information you need to get to the bottom of who your energy supplier is.
How to find out who your gas and electricity supplier is
Who your supplier is depends on whether your home uses what is known as a “dual fuel” plan. In this case, both, your gas and electricity supplier will be the same. However, in some cases, you may have a different gas and electricity supplier. In either case, finding your supplier is not difficult, and there are multiple ways to do this. Some of the ways you can try to find out who supplies your gas and electricity are:
- Ask previous tenants or the landlord: Asking the previous occupants, real estate agent or landlord whether they have informed the energy company about you. In this case you should keep an eye out for a letter from the supplier addressed to “The Occupant”, which will most likely contain details about your current tariff.
- Contacting your local energy distribution company: You can also call the Meter Number Helpline to find out who is supplying energy to your home. The number depends on your region – check the table below to find which number you should call.
If your region is… | …call this number to find your supplier |
North Scotland | 0345 026 2554 |
Central and South Scotland | 0330 1010 300 |
North East England & Yorkshire | 0800 0111 3332 |
North West England | 0800 195 4141 |
London, South East England & Eastern England | 0800 029 4285 |
Central Southern England | 0345 026 2554 |
South West England & South Wales | 0800 096 3080 |
East Midlands & West Midlands | 0800 096 3080 |
Merseyside, Cheshire, North Shropshire & North Wales | 0330 1010 300 |
- Visit Find My Supplier: Find My Supplier is an online service that gives you information on your gas provider and Meter Point Reference Number for your electricity supplier. It is simple and easy to use, and all you need to do is enter your postcode to get the information.
Once you’ve found out supplies your home energy, it is easy enough to call them and find out which tariff you’re on. You can also request them to send you a bill, which should contain further information about your plan.
Why you should switch energy suppliers
Depending on who your supplier is and what tariff you are on, you may be paying quite a lot for your energy usage.
If you have moved home and forgot to change your energy supplier, there is a good chance of you having been automatically assigned to a standard variable tariff. Standard variable tariffs are the default energy plans to which households are moved when they don’t have any other fixed tariff plan in place. Usually, these work out more expensive, since they don’t offer any discounts or special offers.
Switching suppliers and trying to find a better energy deal will save you money in the long run. Some other benefits of switching suppliers are:
- You can exercise greater control over your household energy bills
- You can avail yourself of better customer service
- You may be able to get a green plan which is more environmentally friendly
How to switch energy suppliers : The step by step switching process
First things first – you need to find a better energy deal. The best way to do this is by:
- Calling your energy company and finding out their best tariffs – strong negotiation can often result in you being given a special offer.
- Using a price comparison website to compare all available plans in your area.
- Speaking to sales representatives in kiosks at shops and supermarkets.
When searching for energy tariffs, you may be asked to provide some information like your postcode, the name of your current tariff or supplier, your preferred payment method for energy as well as your average energy usage.
Following this, you will be given a range of tariff options from which you can choose your new tariff and confirm the switch. And that is all you need to do! In most cases, either the new supplier, or the price comparison website will take care of the switch for you.
The time taken for the switch depends from supplier to supplier, but the average time period is 17 days (don’t worry – your energy supply will remain uninterrupted in the meanwhile). In addition to this, the new supplier will contact you and give you a welcome letter, along with information about your new tariff, and the old supplier will coordinate with the new supplier so that you will not be billed twice.
If you are unhappy with your new supplier, you can switch again after 28 days. This is knowing as the “cooling off period”. As long as you cancel within this period, you will not be charged an exit fee.
Certain energy companies have partnered with the UK government to offer a quick, easy and hassle-free switching process covered by the Energy Switch Guarantee, which ensures customers are more confident about switching. You should check to see if your new supplier offers this.
Summary
Finding your supplier and switching, though a simple process, can be made even easier. Energy Switching walks you through the process of switching suppliers with patience and ease, giving you the chance to ask all the questions you need to in order to get a better understanding about your domestic energy usage, bills and available deals.
Our service through energyhelpline carries out unbiased comparisons from over 50+ energy suppliers to give you the best energy deal possible and help you save on your monthly bills. And the best part is that it is completely free of cost.
Read more: How To Switch Energy Supplier