How to Switch Energy Supplier | Gas and Electricity

Check whether switching is the right next step

Start with the problem you are trying to solve. A new tariff may be useful for future costs, but it will not correct an unexplained bill, settle a disputed balance or replace a complaint about your current supplier. Compare the current account first when the issue is a reading, payment or refund.

Collect the information a quotation needs

Have a recent bill or statement available if you can. It can show your current supplier, tariff, meter details, unit rates, standing charges and annual usage. You do not need to invent a figure when it is unavailable: mark it as unknown and ask the new supplier what it can do with the information you have.

Compare the whole offer

Check electricity and gas separately where relevant, then compare unit rates, standing charges, payment method, contract length, exit fees, discounts, eligibility conditions and quote expiry. A lower headline unit rate does not prove a lower total cost if the usage period or other terms differ.

What happens after you request a switch

The new supplier normally coordinates the transfer and should tell you the expected start date and any information it still needs. Keep the confirmation, take dated meter readings around the change and do not cancel a Direct Debit until the old supplier confirms the account is settled and any final payment is clear.

Fixed tariffs, exit fees and timing

If you are on a fixed tariff, check whether an exit fee applies and whether the fee changes near the end of the term. A standard variable tariff can have different terms. Read the actual offer and record its dates rather than relying on a generic switching promise.

Debt, prepayment and moving home need extra checks

A debt, repayment arrangement or prepayment meter can affect how a switch is handled. Moving home is a different account event: record the move date, closing reading and forwarding contact route rather than treating it as a normal tariff switch. Ask the relevant supplier what happens to any debt or credit.

Final bill and cooling-off questions

After the transfer, check the old supplier final bill against the closing reading, dates, payments and balance. If you change your mind, ask the new supplier how the applicable cancellation or cooling-off terms work for the contract you accepted and keep the date of your request.

If the switch goes wrong

Keep the quote, confirmation, meter readings and messages together. Ask one supplier at a time to explain the missing step: transfer date, opening reading, final bill, balance or payment. Use the complaint route if the supplier does not resolve the specific problem.

Common questions