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Energy bills

Our energy bills campaign

  • Consumers weren't happy with confusing utilities bills
  • With your help, we raised awareness of the issue
  • New Ofgem rules mean that bills are now much clearer
  • We want tariffs to be comparable so you can choose the best deal

Which gas tariff are you on? Do you know how much you're paying for your electricity? There is an overwhelming choice for consumers when it comes to utilities tariffs, and untangling your bill used to be quite a task. Many consumers joined Which? in asking companies to shed some light on their bills. 

What we asked for

An itemised summary box on bills and statements - so you can see key information at a glance. This should include

  • the exact tariff name
  • the amount of energy used
  • the rate of gas and or electricity per kwh and how this is broken down on a daily basis
  • how the cost has been calculated
  • any discounts you are benefiting from and when they end
  • any fees you will have to pay if you change supplier
  • annual statements summarising your energy usage and the details of your tariff.

Transparency on estimated bills and meter readings. It must be absolutely clear if a bill is based on an estimated reading, and there should be a clear explanation for how an estimate has been calculated.

How bills have improved

Since we started campaigning for better bills in early 2009, we've seen some significant improvements come about from the actions of both the government and energy companies.

From July 2010 Ofgem rules require energy companies to print the name of your tariff on your bill. They are also insisting that clearer language is used in energy bills. It's a change they quote as being 'in response to calls from consumer groups'.

Following pressure from Which? the government has also agreed that companies can no longer wait for 65 days after a price change before telling their customers about it.

Some companies are keeping customers happy by giving them clear bills and good customer service, although it tends to be the smaller energy companies who achieve the highest ratings. Read the latest Which? utilities satisfaction survey to find out how your utilities company measures up. 

How to cut your energy bills

If you want to save money on your bills, you'll find some handy tips on choosing a tariff in our how to cut energy costs guide and ideas that will help you be green as you save in how to use less electricity.

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