How to get the best energy deal

Energy prices fell on 1 July 2024, but are rising again by 10% in October. Many people are on their energy company's variable (also called standard or default) tariff.

We've found just four tariffs that cost less than the summer price cap (last checked on 22 August 2024). But several others will save you money in the long run once we get to October. 

If you're weighing up whether to fix your gas and electricity prices, think about how much you'd expect to pay over the full contract period on a variable tariff compared with the fix.

The energy price cap, set by energy regulator Ofgem, limits the amount you can be charged if you're on an out-of-contract variable energy tariff. It changes every three months.

It dropped by 7% on 1 July, which means a fixed deal that saved you money in the spring might be pricier than the current cap. But your savings are likely to reappear in autumn when the price cap rises again.

On this page, we keep track of what's available on the open energy market as new tariffs are launched. 

See if there are any suitable options for you in our table of the latest cheapest deals on the market. 

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Use our free, independent energy comparison service to compare gas and electricity prices and find the best provider for you.

What would your bills be on a variable tariff?

To know whether a fixed deal will save you money, first you need to know how much you'll pay over a year with your current tariff. For many of us, this is a variable price-capped tariff. You'll be on a variable, or default, tariff, if you've not fixed a deal with your supplier recently. 

You can use our free energy comparison tool to help work out how much you can expect to pay. Your supplier may also include an estimated annual bill in your energy statements. 

Make sure you choose the correct name for your tariff, and the check the exact amount of electricity and gas you use (in kWh) per year to get the most accurate estimate of your current spend.

With a variable tariff, the total estimated cost it gives is based on the rates you're paying now. It presumes they'll stay the same for the next 12 months.

But it doesn't really work like that. The price cap changes the rates of variable tariffs every three months. It's expected to rise this autumn. 

Online comparison services (including ours!) won't be able to take these future predictions into account, so you should keep them in mind when considering how much you might pay in the next 12 months.

Are there any cheap energy deals now?

When we checked on 22 August 2024, there were just four tariffs cheaper than the price cap rates for July to September. 

But the price cap is set to rise again by 10% in October. With that in mind, there are 20 tariffs to choose from that should save you money longer term. You'll pay slightly more than the price cap through September (when you're typically using a little less energy anyway) and then you'll be quids in when prices change in the winter months. 

You'll need to pay by direct debit to access the cheapest fixed tariffs. Some companies will also let you pay when you receive a bill, but will charge higher rates as a result.

We only found three fixed tariffs for prepayment meter customers. All are sold by EDF Energy. For the first time, if you're on a prepayment meter it's worth switching away from the price cap to one of these. EDF Energy's Ensure Jul25 could save you £50 a year, on average, compared with the current price cap.

Current available fixed energy deals

Below, we've listed the cheapest five tariffs for households using a typical medium amount of gas and electricity, paying by direct debit. You can switch to these whether you're a new or existing customer.

We've also quoted prices for low and high-use households to give you a better idea of how much it might cost for your home. For comparison, we've also listed the current equivalent cost of a price-capped variable tariff at the top of the table.

We last updated this table on 22 August 2024.

Interesting energy tariffs 

Eon Next, EDF Energy and Scottish Power all sell tracker tariffs, which change in price every three months when the price cap is reset. These are currently among the cheapest available tariffs and listed in the table above. Newcomer Fuse Energy says it guarantees to offer the cheapest tariffs in the UK.

• E.ON Next is offering a tracker tariff, Next Pledge, with rates that adjust to save the typical household £50 compared with the price cap over the entire course of the contract. It's worth considering so you know your prices will stay lower than the capped rates across the whole year, especially if you're already with Eon Next. It has no exit fee if you want to leave early, should something more promising become available.
• EDF Energy has also recently launched a tariff that tracks £50 below the price cap. The Ensure tariff has discounted daily standing charges (rather than unit rates). EDF Energy says this means customers will see the same benefit regardless of how much energy they use. 
• Fuse Energy's tariffs are covered by Fuse Protect, which it says guarantees that customers will be on the cheapest tariff. When it found a cheaper fixed tariff in early April, it lowered the rates paid by those on this tariff to beat it.
• Scottish Power's Cap Tracker tariff changes rates every three months when the price cap changes. Its daily standing charge will always be £15 per year lower than Scottish Power's standard tariff but it has the same unit rates (for each kWh of energy you use).

Compare energy prices using Which? free independent comparison tool.

Should I fix my energy prices?

The cheapest tariffs listed in the table above would save a typical household around £50 a year compared with the price cap (for July to September).

Those savings will stay the same when the price cap changes as they're tariffs that track the price cap.

There's only one tariff that looks cheaper than the current price cap with rates that are set for the whole contract. That's the Ovo Energy 1 Year tariff, including boiler cover. The headline price is £41 cheaper than the current cap. But to get that price you'll also need to buy Ovo's boiler cover, costing from £180 per year. So it's unlikely to save you money overall unless you also want to buy boiler cover from it.

For most people, buying boiler cover doesn't work out cheaper than paying for boiler repairs as they come up. Find out more in our guide to boiler cover and servicing.

If you're comparing the energy market right now, note that the price cap will rise in October, by 10%. 

So if you choose a fixed tariff that's slightly more expensive than your current rates, but cheaper than what you'll be paying from October onwards, then you'll still save money over the winter when most households use the most energy. 

If you're tempted by a fixed deal, here's what to check:

• How your payments will compare with the tariff you're currently on Use our free energy compare tool to estimate your current costs and savings.
• What your actual payments would be For the most accurate estimate, multiply the rates by your energy use over the past year in kWh. Find this in your online account, app or on your latest annual statement.
• The length of the contract If it's very long, there's time for energy prices to change a lot.
• Do you have to pay an exit fee to leave before the end of the tariff? If so, how much?

Before you switch, check whether your firm is among the best energy suppliers for 2024.

Fixed and variable energy tariffs: which is best for me?

Energy deals come in two basic types: fixed or variable. Which one would suit you better will depend on how much certainty you want over the price you pay.

Variable tariffs

Often also called standard tariffs, they change price each time your supplier changes its rates. 

If you've been with your supplier for a while, or didn’t switch after your fixed deal ended, it's very likely that you're on its standard, variable or default tariff.

Default tariffs are subject to a price cap. This is effectively a cap on the price charged for each unit of energy – not a cap on your total bill. The cap is reset by energy regulator Ofgem every three months.

You can leave a variable tariff whenever you like and you're not tied in with a contract or exit fees.

Find out more: what is the energy price cap?

Fixed tariffs

These usually set the daily standing charge and rates you pay for each unit of gas and electricity you use for a certain period of time (for example, a year).

This means you'll know that the rates won’t rise during your contract period. 

If your energy company raises its prices, you won’t be affected – but you won’t benefit if its prices drop, either.

However you might also hear of tariffs that track the price cap being called 'fixed', despite their rates changing every three months. This is because they are a fixed length (for example, a year).

Read more: should you choose a fixed or variable energy tariff?

Price comparison websites

Price comparison websites display tariffs in price order so you can compare potential savings against your current deal.

They don’t have to show every available tariff on the market, so if you don’t venture beyond one comparison site's initial recommendations, you might miss out on the cheapest tariffs.

When you use a comparison site, remember that:

• some tariffs are exclusive to one price comparison website
• some tariffs are only available directly from the supplier
• some price comparison websites show a limited selection of tariffs upfront, such as only those it can switch you to directly, or just available deals from the biggest companies. 

Check what the site says about which deals it displays automatically. Changing the filters might let you see a wider range of deals than is initially displayed.  

Bear in mind that you'll need to contact the supplier directly if you pick a deal that it can't switch you to.

Our independent energy price comparison service automatically shows you tariffs that it can’t switch you to directly, so you can use it to check if you can save compared with your current tariff, even if it can't complete the switch for you.

Energy autoswitching services

Automatic switching services do more of the legwork for you than price comparison websites. 

They continuously compare and, with your permission, switch you to deals they calculate to be the best (based on information you provide) to keep you on a good rate.

If you want a better energy deal with minimal effort, an auto-switching service could be worth a try. But be aware that there are few tariffs that will save you much at the moment.

Before using an auto-switching service, check the following:

• Terms and conditions These should tell you how it picks which tariffs to switch you to.
• Which energy suppliers it works with Some services don't compare every deal available. If owned by a price comparison website, for example, they may only display deals from companies they have financial agreements with.
• Policies on switching you to companies with a poor reputation for customer service Some auto-switching services won’t switch customers to suppliers they don’t feel are up to scratch. This can help you avoid some poorly performing companies, but means you might save less than you would with a price comparison website. 
• Whether it’s a free or paid-for service Services that charge subscription fees typically cover the whole market, so may include cheaper deals than those tied to specific suppliers. But you'll need to balance this against how much the fees could eat into your savings. 

Switching directly with an energy company

Energy companies aren't allowed to sell cheaper deals to new customers than existing ones at the moment. 

Check that you're on the cheapest option with your current supplier as well as comparing offerings from other companies.

Some suppliers offer exclusive deals to their existing customers. If you're offered one of these, it'sstill  worth comparing it with your current rates and those offered by other suppliers.

You can usually get a quote from a new energy provider via its website by entering your postcode and some information about your energy use. If you're happy with the quote, you can then follow through with the switch online or over the phone.

Find out how to switch energy supplier.

Refer-a-friend and other switching incentives

Suppliers sometimes offer financial rewards for switching to them, including via refer-a-friend schemes that reward both the existing and new customer. 

If you’re invited to switch via one of these, check the following:

• The price of the tariff you’ll be signing up to – is it the supplier’s cheapest deal?
• How the price compares with other deals on the market once the incentive payment is factored in.
• Whether there are other conditions attached to the switching incentive – for example, being a customer for a certain period or getting a smart meter – and whether you're happy with these.
• Whether the supplier charges exit fees if you want to leave.
• How good the supplier’s customer service is. See the best energy companies for 2024.

Economy 7, Economy 10 and smart time-of-use tariffs

Time-of-use tariffs charge different rates for electricity used at different times of day. For example, you pay a more expensive rate for electricity used at times of peak demand in the daytime and a cheaper overnight rate.

Economy 7 and Economy 10 are two common time-of-use tariffs.

If you're on one of these, you may have a special electricity meter that provides two different readings (also known as a two-rate meter). 

Find out whether you should stay on Economy 7.

If you have a smart meter, special meters aren't necessary to access time-of-use tariffs. That's because smart meters can be set up to charge different rates at different times. This means that all homes with smart meters will be able to access time-of-use tariffs in future. 

At the moment, these tariffs are mainly for electric vehicle owners. Companies use smart meter readings taken every half hour to provide cheaper overnight charging when it costs less for suppliers to buy electricity.

You may not need to have a smart meter already installed in order to sign up to one of these deals, but it will be a condition of the tariff that you get one fitted.

Find out more about smart meters and how they work.

Renewable energy tariffs

There's no set definition of what a ‘renewable’ tariff is or has to include. Companies take different approaches including:

• funding or generating renewable electricity or 'green' biogas
• buying the equivalent of what their customers use in renewable electricity
• matching their customers' use with renewable power that they haven't bought
• offering different proportions of renewable electricity and gas
• offering other social or environmental perks.

See the differences between green energy suppliers.

If you’re keen to support renewable electricity, check the details of your potential supplier’s arrangement and how it defines its green tariff.

Find out more in our guides to renewable energy and green gas.

Should I bundle gas and electricity with broadband or boiler cover?

The following firms offer boiler cover, broadband or other services as well as energy:

• British Gas review
• Ovo Energy review
• Scottish Power review (via Domestic and General)
• Utility Warehouse review.

If you’re tempted to buy more than gas and electricity from your energy company, first check how much it would cost to buy the equivalent products from separate firms.

Find out how to choose the best boiler cover.

Look out for energy exit fees

If you're considering a fixed tariff, check whether you'd have to pay to leave before the end of the contract (for example, if you found a cheaper deal).

We often see exit fees of £75 per fuel on a one-year tariff, but don't always let this put you off switching.

• Not all fixed deals have exit fees. If yours doesn't, you'll be protected against rising prices, but if prices go down you can switch at any time at no cost.
• Your supplier can't charge an exit fee if you switch in the last 49 days of your fixed tariff.
• You shouldn't have to pay exit fees if you’re moving home, provided you keep your tariff and just change the address. 
• If you switch tariff but stay with the same provider, some may waive the exit fee, so it's worth asking.

Pay by direct debit to save money

Paying by monthly direct debit is usually the cheapest way to pay for energy. 

Your supplier will estimate how much gas and electricity you'll use in a year and charge you for a 12th of this each month. 

It usually costs more to pay when you receive your bill – your tariff will be more expensive than a direct debit one. You'll also have to pay more in winter (when you're using central heating) than in summer. 

Prepayment meter customers on price-capped tariffs pay slightly less than direct debit customers since April 2024. But there's less choice of cheaper fixed tariffs for prepayment customers.

Find out whether a prepayment energy meter is right for you.

For tips on using less energy to bring down your bills, see our guides to 10 ways to save on energy bills and how to insulate your home. 

How to stop your energy company overcharging

Whether or not you've just switched, try these tips to keep your bills accurate:

• Send your supplier meter readings at least monthly (if your smart meter isn't already doing this). This makes sure you're only charged for the energy you're actually using. Otherwise, your energy company will estimate your usage.
• Occasionally check your account to make sure your meter readings are getting through, as we've heard from people whose smart meters have stopped sending readings. 
• If your energy company raises its prices, send meter readings on the day the rise takes effect. This way, you get the lower price for the maximum period.
• Question direct debit changes if you don't agree. Contact your energy company and ask it to explain how and why it has calculated the change.
• Ask for excess credit back. If you have more than three months' payments in your energy account, consider asking for a refund or to lower your monthly payments.
• Complain if your direct debit payments increase without notice. Energy firms should give you 10 days' warning before taking the new amount. If yours doesn't, complain and ask for compensation. You can also make a claim under the Direct Debit Guarantee.
• Complain if you have been billed incorrectly. Use our letter template to complain to your energy supplier about being overcharged.