| | | Don't worry, we'll make it EASY & SIMPLE with a choice of 25,000 EDF cut-price tariffs and the market's lowest prices with reliable service
Winter is coming. It's time to ensure you're on the cheapest possible energy deal, before your usage ramps up. So my team have been beavering away to try to negotiate cheaper than the market's cheapest for this Big Switch Event.
We didn't manage that, but did get a special cut-rate EDF deal for the first 25,000 switchers - which is the cheapest Big 6 tariff (something many of you told us you want). The problem is that price pressures are still on the up - which is why it's safest to act quickly - and why no suppliers bid to give us a deal that'll allow 100,000s to lock in at a below-market rate.
The cheapest deals are with small new providers so I also want to run through my picks of those too, plus a long, cheap fix from Ovo Energy that I think's an all-round winner.
Yet whatever you do, take some action - it's worth it. As Simon tweeted: "@martinslewis I've used your tips on almost everything, except energy. Gave it a go today and I'm £639/yr better off", and Jim: "Just used Cheap Energy Club with @moneysavingexp and saved £472/yr. Cheers guys and girls."
At a glance - your switch and save options Prices based on Ofgem typical DIRECT DEBIT use. If you use more or less your costs move roughly in proportion to that - do a comparison for exact info. 66% OF YOU ARE ON STANDARD TARIFFS: With the Big 6 - EDF, British Gas, Npower, SSE, Scottish Power or E.on - you pay on average £1,151/yr.
The market's cheapest: £824/yr - so save about £330. Cheap small firm with decent feedback: £838/yr (a) - so save £310. Cheap longer fix and top service (Ovo): £883/yr (a) - so save £270. Cheapest Big 6: MSE EDF tariff: £890/yr (a) - so save £260. Cheapest 'don't wanna switch firm' Big 6 deals: £890/yr - £1,082/yr (a). FULL HELP ON EACH OF THESE BELOW (a) Our Cheap Energy Club gives £25 dual-fuel cashback on these tariffs, so we've included that in the saving. |
How to pick the right deal for YOU The explosion in the number of new, often small energy firms has made picking a new deal daunting. I'm going to try to help you through that decision. In practical terms switching isn't a biggie. No one visits your home. It's the same gas, same electricity, even same safety - the only change is price and service. The following don't apply if you're on prepay or in N. Ireland. More on that below...
| • | The very cheapest deals are from small firms with no or poor feedback.
- Cost for typical usage: £824/yr
- How to find YOUR cheapest of these: Your winner depends on location and usage so use our Energy Club comparison of the whole of the market.
The energy market's swamped with new small firms with super-cheap tariffs designed to bring in new customers. In our poll a fortnight ago, you told us that small firms you've not heard of was your biggest energy switching turn-off.
And sadly I've regularly seen tiddler firms launch with low prices, which see huge numbers stream in that they can't cope with. The current four or five cheapest tariffs starting at £824/yr are all so new we've almost no feedback on them, or what we have isn't great.
So why not scroll down your results list to find ones with better service that aren't that much costlier? I've listed three below that have been around a bit longer, so we've some feedback, but from an admittedly still-small sample size. To make it easy to see these, use our special TOP PICKS comparison.
- Toto Energy: £838/yr on typical use incl £25 MSE cashback. It launched in Oct 2016, we've little MSE feedback, but it's rated 7.9/10 from 800+ reviews on the website Trustpilot. The tariff is variable, so it could be increased, and there's an early exit fee.
- Bulb Energy: £842/yr incl £25 MSE cashback. A big small 'un, with 100,000 customers. Only 27 votes in our poll, but 93% rated it 'great', plus it has 2,500 Trustpilot ratings at 9.8/10. The tariff is variable, but there's no early exit fee.
- Tonik Energy: £854/yr. A one-year fix, giving you peace of mind of no rises. We've little MSE feedback but of 300+ Trustpilot reviews it's 9/10. | | • | Very cheap TWO YEAR fix from Ovo - a company 89% rate 'great'.
- Cost for typical usage: £883/yr (incl £25 MSE cashback split over 2yrs)
- How to find if it's YOUR cheapest: Do a normal comparison, or for ease use our special TOP PICKS comparison which shows only our selected top picks.
This is a very strong deal, that's only just launched. It's especially good for those who find switching a hassle, as the rate is cheap and fixed for 2yrs, so there's no need to act again until then and it covers you for two winters' usage - if prices rise it could look very nifty then.
Better still it's from Ovo, a mid-sized firm with 700,000 customers which is constantly one of the top performers in our customer service poll. Last time 89% rated it 'great', just 3% 'poor', from a strong sample of 569 votes. If lots of you go and get this tariff, the way fixes work it's possible Ovo may limit the number available, so get in quickly. Here's brief info...
- It's for new AND existing Ovo customers.
- It's available for dual-fuel & elec-only, incl Eco 7.
- New customers get £25 dual-fuel (£12.50 elec-only) MSE Cheap Energy Club cashback
- Existing customers can get it but need to switch directly with Ovo.
- The rate (not cost, that depends on use) is fixed for exactly 2yrs from when it starts supplying you.
- You must pay by monthly direct debit.
- If you move home you CAN'T take it with you.
- You pay exit fees of £30/fuel if you leave early.
- The Warm Home Discount is available with it. | | • | Cheapest Big 6 good service deal - the MSE Big Switch Winner.
- Cost for typical usage: £890/yr (incl £25 MSE cashback)
- How to find if it's YOUR cheapest: Do a Cheap Energy Club comparison then in the results, use the BIG NAMES FILTER.
When I show people how to switch on my TV roadshows, again and again they say "I only want a firm I've heard of" and our recent site poll backs that up. So when EDF, which we've seen many switch to recently, bid to give us a reduced deal, even though small firms beat it, I thought we'd still give it as an option.
The EDF MSE Simply Fixed September 2018 deal is on average the cheapest from the Big 6, saving someone on a typical standard tariff £260/yr incl cashback, with no price rises guaranteed for a year.
Whether it beats other Big 6 tariffs depends on your region and use, so we send you through our comparison to get it so you can see (use the filters to only see other big-name tariffs). Here's quick info...
- It's limited to 25,000 dual-fuel (or 50,000 single-fuel) switches until at the latest Thu 28 Sep, so go quick.
- It's for new AND existing EDF customers.
- It's available for dual-fuel & elec-only, incl Eco 7.
- You get £25 dual-fuel (£12.50 elec-only) MSE Cheap Energy Club cashback.
- The rate (not cost, that depends on use) is fixed until 30 Sep 2018.
- You can pay by direct debit, or quarterly cash or cheque.
- If you move home you can take it with you.
- You pay exit fees of £35/fuel if you leave early.
- The Warm Home Discount is available with it.
- How's customer service? Sadly we couldn't get EDF to provide boosted customer service for this deal, but it usually does well in our polls. It's the best of the Big 6 - 64% voted its service 'great' and only 10% said 'poor' (445 votes). | | • | Don't want to switch firm? Find YOUR CURRENT PROVIDER'S cheapest deal.
- Cost for big-name typical usage: £890/yr - £1,082/yr (incl £25 MSE cashback)
- How to find YOUR cheapest of these: Use our Cheap Energy Club 'My Current Supplier' comparison which filters out all but your existing provider's best tariffs.
I'm often asked questions like "I'm with Npower - is it cheap?" I can't answer that, as what you pay depends on which of a firm's tariffs you are on. Npower for example has the most expensive standard tariff at £1,187/yr, yet it also offers one of the cheapest Big 6 fixes at £924/yr.
In fact EVERY Big 6 provider has a cheaper deal than its standard tariff - so through gritted teeth let me say, if you're loyal to your existing firm and don't want to change, at least switch tariff. You can use our special 'My Supplier' comparison link to find yours (and also usually get the £25 MSE dual-fuel, £12.50 single-fuel cashback).
Or if not, just ring your provider and ask if you're on its cheapest deal (no cashback).Of course EDF customers can switch to our cheap EDF collective tariff. |
Prepay tariffs, green deals and Northern Ireland. The options I've put above cover the majority of energy users, but you may have special requirements or be unable to access them. If so, here are some quick tips...
- Prepay customers can still switch and save: Try our prepay comparison - savings are smaller, typically £70/yr, but it's worth doing. For bigger savings see if you can switch to a credit meter. Full help in cut the cost of prepay energy. - Want a green tariff? We didn't get any cheap green bidders for our collective this time. Yet do an Energy Club comparison and when the results come up, click '100% renewable' in the filters to see your choices. - Northern Ireland: No UK comparisons, including us (we're working on something in the background), include Northern Ireland, but you can use the Consumer Council for Northern Ireland's tool.
Energy FAQs
For more, see the full Cheap Energy Club FAQs Q. I'm on last Sep's British Gas collective - what should I do? That was a stunning deal - for someone on typical use, it's £100/yr less than today's market cheapest. So when it ends in a few weeks your costs will rise, and by nearly 50% if you do nothing. To reduce that rise, switch to one of the options above (we tried to get British Gas to give us a retention deal but it wouldn't). Q. Does MSE make money from this? Yes. Like all energy comparison sites, we're paid each time you switch through us, but we aim to give you about half in cashback (money you don't get if you go direct). The rest helps cover our costs and hopefully makes us some profit. We've had to drop the cashback from £30 to £25 recently as suppliers give us less. For more see MSE Jason's blog. Q. What happens if my supplier goes bust? New rules that came in last year mean your energy credit is protected and your energy stays on as you'll be transferred to another supplier; though you could lose any cheap deal you're on. Q. What info do I need to switch? It's best if you have a bill, and input kilowatt hours (kWh) into Cheap Energy Club, rather than cost. Yet DON'T WORRY if you don't know your usage, Cheap Energy Club can help you guesstimate. While the answer won't be perfect, it's usually far better than doing nowt. Q. How does Cheap Energy Club work? It does 3 things:
1) We show your exact price and saving and compare to ALL market tariffs.
2) You get £25 dual-fuel cashback (£12.50 single-fuel) if we can switch you. It's sent roughly 60-90 days later.
3) We check for better deals. You set a 'trigger saving', eg, £150/yr, then we alert you if you can save this by switching again.
Quick FAQs Q. Can I switch if with an independent gas transporter? Yes, see IGT help.
Q. I'm in credit - will I get it back if I switch? Yes. See Reclaim credit.
Q. I'm in debt - can I switch? Yes, usually - see Switching in debt help.
Q. Can I switch if I'm renting? Yes. See our renters' switching info.
Q. Can I see the standing charge and kWh costs? They vary by region, so we display YOUR exact cost in the Cheap Energy Club comparison result.
Q. Can I switch if I've solar panels & a feed-in tariff? Yes. Solar & FIT info
Q. I'm on a smart meter. Can I switch? Yes, but you may lose functionality. Smart meters & switching info
Q. Is paying by direct debit cheapest? Yes, but do regular meter readings.
Q. Can suppliers put my price up on a cheap fix? The rate's fixed, but if it's estimated you'll use more, the direct debit can rise. See Fight Unfair Direct Debits.
Q. Can I pick a date for when my switch will happen? No. Sadly, providers don't let you do this. See Switching FAQs. |
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | It's the best deal for beleaguered savers since March, but it could well be pulled this week
If you've savings, urgently check the rate. Most are paltry, as low as 0.01%, yet you can smash that, if you know where to look. Currently 1yr fixes - where the rate is set for a year, but you can't access your money - offer better interest rates than easy-access accounts. Yet with easy-access you can add or withdraw cash at any time, though the rate may change. Here's the lowdown, and all accounts below have full £85,000 per person UK savings protection... Urgent. Get 1.95% fixed for a year. Among the 1yr fixes, app-only Atom Bank offers 1.95% AER, though it's told us it may reduce the rate on Friday - so act quick. Next-best is newbie Wyelands Bank at 1.83% AER. If you prefer big brands, Tesco Bank offers 1.5% AER. Full info and longer fixes, up to 2.5%, in top fixed savings, yet if you fix for too long and rates rise, you could be left behind. Get 1.25% in an easy-access account. Top payer is RBS-owned Ulster Bank which offers 1.25% AER variable on £1+. Though unusually it may add a mark to your credit report when you apply which can have a minor negative impact. It's not usually a problem but avoid if about to apply for a mortgage. ICICI Bank also pays 1.25% AER variable but only on £500+, and the ra te drops by 0.6% after a year. Full info and more best buys in easy-access savings. Save money each month? Earn up to 5%. Regular savings accounts pay more but you can only put up to about £300/mth in them. To get the top payers you must have (or switch to) their linked bank accounts. So if you bank with First Direct, M&S Bank, Nationwide, Santander 123 or HSBC Advance/Premier, click the link to see what's available. Otherwise Leeds Building Society pays 2.3% and anyone can open the account. Potential first-time buyer? Get a 25% boost to your savings. This is a no-brainer for anyone who may one day want to buy their first home. In the Lifetime ISA and Help to Buy ISA, the state will add £250 per £1,000 saved. Click the links to find which is best for you. |
| | | | Extra 25% off posh bedding code, eg, £9 dbl duvet, 2 pillows £6. MSE Blagged. The ever-popular Boston Duvet deal's back, just in time for colder nights. Stock's already up to 75% cheaper than in department stores and high street shops - our code takes a further 25% off. Ltd stock. Posh bedding
50 free photo prints EVERY month for 1yr - just pay £3 del each time. Via app, good for summer snaps. Free prints
Ends Thu. 5GB Sim + unltd mins and texts equiv £7.25/mth IF you have BT b'band. Apply via this BT link* to get 5GB of data + unltd mins and texts for £11/mth + a £45 Amazon/iTunes vch (making it equiv £7.25/mth). There are other options too incl 20GB for £16/mth + £95 vch. Annoyingly, you must CLAIM the vch within 3mths, so use this form from 2wks after activation. It's then sent within 45 days. If you cancel or don't have BT b'band, each Sim is £5/mth more. Full info and other options in Cheap Sims.
Get £40 cashback on £400 Wealthify investment ISA. (500 avail). If you're planning on putting cash into highly-publicised 'robo-investing' stocks & shares ISAs, this is equiv to a 10% head-start. Full explanation, plus pros & cons in robo-investing cashback.
£14 beauty box code, incl Elizabeth Arden & Murad minis (norm £40ish indiv). MSE Blagged. 3,000 avail. Beauty box |
| | | | | | | | | | Cashback means you can get PAID to be debt-free quicker, but hurry if it's best for you
With a balance transfer, you get a new card that pays off existing store/credit card debt, so you owe it instead but at 0%. This makes you debt-free quicker, as repayments cover the debt, not interest. And right now there are two deals - though one ends on Fri - that pay you after fees if you shift less than about £3,500. Here's how they compare to our top picks. - Will you be accepted? Don't just apply, our Balance Transfer Quick Eligibility Calc shows which cards you've best odds of getting, or our FULL Credit Club also gives your free Credit Report and Credit and Affordability Scores. Both do a 'soft' search on your credit file that lenders can't act on, so there 's no impact on your creditworthiness. Plus for some cards you can be 'pre-approved', meaning you'll definitely get the offer, subject to an ID check. | TOP PICK 0% NEW-CARDHOLDER BALANCE TRANSFER CARDS | | CARD | 0% LENGTH (APR AFTER 0% ENDS) | TRANSFER FEE (1) + cashback |
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| Barclaycard (eligibility calc incl pre-approval / apply*) - Longest 0% card | Up to 40mths (19.9%) | 1.68% (2) | | Sainsbury's Bank (eligibility calc / apply*) - Longest 'non up to' 0% card if you've a free Nectar card | 39mths (18.9%) | 2.39% (min £3) (2) | | Ends Fri. Lloyds (eligibility calc / apply*) - Low fee + cashback on £100+ transfers (3) | Up to 33mths (18.9%) | 0.58% + £20 (2) | | Sainsbury's Bank (eligibility calc / apply*) - Low fee + cashback, but must shift £1k+ | 33mths (18.9%) | 0.59% (min £3) + £20 (2) | | Halifax (eligibility calc / apply*) - Longest-ever NO FEE card (3) | Up to 29mths (18.9%) | None | | Sainsbury's Bank (eligibility calc / apply*) - Longest 'non up to' NO FEE card | 28mths (18.9%) | None (2) | | Barclaycard (eligibility calc / apply*) - Good for those with limited credit history | 18mths (24.9%) | 2.99% | | (1) % of debt shifted. (2) You pay a higher fee upfront & it'll be refunded to the level shown. (3) Pre-approval available for Lloyds and Halifax cards if you're a current account cust. Full info: Best Balance Transfers (APR Examples). |
Tip 1: Go for the lowest fee in the time you're sure you can repay. Calculate how long you need to clear the debt, add a bit for safety, then pick the lowest fee within that time. Unsure? Play safe and go long, even with a bigger fee. Tip 2: Some have an 'up to' 0% length, so you may get a shorter deal even if accepted. That's why we include the best 'non up to' options, where you'll get that length if accepted (our eligibility calc says if you've good odds). Balance Transfer Golden Rules. Full help and ALL best buys: Balance Transfers (APR Examples).
a) Never miss the min monthly repayment or you could lose the 0% deal and it'll cost far more.
b) Clear the card or balance-transfer again before the 0% ends or the rate rockets to the higher APR.
c) Don't spend/withdraw cash on these. It usually isn't at the cheap rate and cash withdrawals hit your creditworthiness.
d) You must usually do the balance transfer within 30, 60 or 90 days to get the 0% and cashback. |
| | | | FREE visits to 5,500+ historic properties this weekend. From Thu-Sun, many usually fee-charging or closed English buildings are free and open, incl Bletchley Park. Heritage Open Days
The 5 things EVERY student and their parents should know... Ignore the political spin and spittle, read Martin's student must-knows 2017/18 blog.
£16 for TWO pairs of specs. MSE Blagged. Via Glasses Direct code, until Tue. Specs appeal.
Warning. Vodafone customer? Just one text abroad could cost you £5. In 60 countries incl the US, Oz, India, China and more. See Vodafon e roaming warning.
It's 'Will Relief Scotland' month. Donate to charity (it suggests £80/single will) and a solicitor will draft a will. Worth doing - especially if you're in an unmarried couple, have children, pets or own property. Will Relief
FREE Cake & Bake Show tickets - meet past Great British Bake Off champions. We've 5,000 for London (6-8 Oct) and 5,000 for Manchester (9-12 Nov, also gets free entry to Ideal Home Show at Christmas). Norm £13. Cake & Bake |
| | | | They can get this email free every week |
| | | | | | | | If your trip's been ruined this summer (or any have since 2011) by a delay of 3hrs+, you could be owed up to £550
Flight delays are a scourge, and all too common - in fact, the number of passengers delayed 3+ hours on BA, Easyjet and Ryanair has more or less doubled over the past five years, according to consumer group Which?. But many are owed compensation, so check out our Flight Delays Guide & Tool to help. Samantha did: "I used your tool to claim for a delay to Cancun this summer. Took a couple of days to get £2,272 for me and my family. Thanks MSE - it'll go towards next year's holiday." Here's a quick briefing... Flight delay compensation key points... This is all about EU regulation 261/2004. While there's uncertainty if it'll be in force after we leave the EU, it very much still counts now...
- You can claim for delays back to 2011. See full info plus pre-2011 help.
- You must've arrived 3hrs+ late (see how to check past delay lengths).
- Any flights from EU airports count, or to an EU airport if on an EU airline.
- Compensation's fixed, based on delay & journey length. What am I owed?
- It must be the airline's fault - eg, airport strikes aren't covered. What counts?
- Airlines may offer vouchers, but you're entitled to cash, so go back to 'em.
- Is it fair to airlines? Not always, eg, a delay on a £20 flight can mean £100s in compensation. See Martin's Legal vs moral concerns. Free online reclaim tool - don't pay anyone to do it for you. Our Flight Delay Reclaim Tool (in collaboration with complaints site Resolver) uses our template letters to draft your complaint, send it, keep track of it and escalate it to the relevant regulator or ombudsman-style scheme if it rejects you. Feedback's good, eg, Tom emailed: "We cannot thank you enough for making our claim for a flight delay through Resolver so easy. We received £706." And you keep ALL the compensation. See our Resolver guide for how we work with it. Not on an EU flight? Sadly you can't claim under these rules. There are still avenues you can try though - see What if I wasn't on an EU flight? |
| | | | Starbucks 2for1 iced coffees in London. Use voucher 2pm-7pm, ends Fri. Starbucks
SUCCESS OF THE WEEK: (Send us yours on this or any topic)
"After getting my renewal quote I followed the tips on your website and saved £470 on home and contents insurance. Thank you."
Plain Lazy five T-shirts £35 via code (norm £110). MSE Blagged. Lucky dip, men's or women's. Plain Lazy |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Amazon - 'free' £5 with £20 'Top Up - In Store'
L'Occitane - five 10ml hand creams for £5 via O2 app
Railcards - how to get a £10 railcard (norm £20-£30)
Travelodge - 15% off selected London hotels code
Sainsbury's - £18 off £60 online grocery code for newbies
| | Burger King - how to get a £4.40 bacon dbl cheeseburger for £2
Toby Carvery - 33% off £15 spend on food
KFC - free fries every Friday
Harvester - two chicken dishes & drinks for £20
TGI Fridays - all-you-can-eat starters £10-£13
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| | | | | | | | | | | | Thu 7 Sep - Good Morning Britain, ITV, Deals of the Week, 7.40am
Fri 8 Sep - This Morning, ITV, Martin’s Quick Deals, time TBC
Mon 11 Sep - This Morning, ITV, time TBC. View previous
Mon 11 Sep - BBC Radio 5 Live, Lunch Money Martin, noon. Subscribe to podcast | | |
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| Wed 6 Sep - BBC Cumbria, Money Talks with Adam Powell, from 6pm
Thu 7 Sep - BBC South West stations, Good Morning with Joe Lemer, from 5am
Tue 12 Sep - BBC Radio Cambridgeshire, 2.20pm |
| | | | | | Q: I own a flat as a leaseholder and have been paying for a buildings insurance policy for the last five years. Have I made a mistake? Nick, via email. MSE Tony's A: Unfortunately you probably have, as in most cases only freeholders need to buy their own buildings insurance. With most leasehold flats, buildings insurance cover is usually arranged by the management company on your behalf, which you'd likely be paying for as part of your service charge. So check with your management company - as there's no need to essentially pay twice. There are scenarios where leaseholders may need to buy their own buildings insurance policy but these are rare. Contents insurance, on the other hand, is for everyone, and something you should strongly consider. For more home insurance dos and don'ts, and best buys, see our Cheap Home Insurance guide. Please suggest a question of the week (we can't reply to individual emails). |
| | | | | | That's it for this week, but before we go... we all know superstar footballers are among the super-rich but did you know Paris St-Germain's new Brazilian forward Neymar will earn £40.3m/yr - more than 1,500 times the average UK £26k/yr salary. You can lament the astronomical difference or for a bit of fun find out how he and other top footballers compare with you via our forum post: How do your earnings compare with top footballers'? We hope you save some money,
The MSE team |
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