A rise in the wholesale cost of gas over the last 18 months has driven the ‘big six’ suppliers to increase domestic gas and electricity prices, meaning that households regularly pay the price with higher household bills.
All six of the leading suppliers pushed up their prices last year, adding significantly to the annual dual fuel bill. Earlier this year, they all reduced gas or electricity prices by up to 6%, offering little comfort to already struggling households.
Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) suggests that UK households have spent 23% more on energy bills in 2011 than in 2007, showing the full impact of the recession.
As the nation fails to cope with rising prices, here are some top tips to reduce gas bills:
Switch suppliers
One way to reduce your gas bills could involve shopping around for the best deal. You might not be on the best tariff for your circumstances and gas usage; therefore you could save by switching. There are 120 different tariffs on the market at the moment and the government recently signed an agreement with the ‘big six’ which meant that they must write to their customers informing them of the cheapest available deal they could obtain.
Whilst this is a step in the right direction, energy firms will not reveal the cheaper tariffs available to their rivals. The Asda energy compare & save tool could help find the cheapest available tariff for you across a wide range of suppliers.
Become energy efficient
Gas bills are typically lower in the summer as houses require less heating and gas hobs are not used as much. However, there are measures you can take to become more energy efficient, including wearing more layers whilst indoors.
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