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Top five cheapest energy deals for December 2019
Find out how to save more than £100 on your gas bill in cold weather
Two thirds of the gas we use is for central heating, and you use the majority of that in winter. That means being on a good-value energy deal is crucial for the colder months. We've analysed all the gas and electricity tariffs on the market to show you how to save around £328 per year.
Plus we've looked at gas tariffs and found that the average home could save £124 on gas per year. And they'll be switching to a provider that's highly rated by its customers.
If you're already on a good deal for energy, check our winter heating tips to see if you could shave a little more off your bills while keeping your home toasty.
Read on to see the cheapest deal for you, or compare gas and electricity prices using Which? Switch, our independent energy comparison website.
You can also phone us on 0800 410 1149 or 01259 220235.
Cheapest gas and electricity deals
Here are the five cheapest energy tariffs available now, based on the price for a year for a household that uses a medium amount of gas and electricity.
You'll see the annual average price across all regions for each deal, as well as how much it saves compared with the current price cap on how much suppliers can charge you per kilowatt hour (kWh) of electricity and gas. This is currently £1,179 per year for a medium user.
Your exact spend and savings depend on how much gas and electricity you use, though.
Top five cheapest gas and electricity deals
£851 - The People's Energy Company, People's Energy 2 Months Upfront Winter 19 Tariff - paperless. Fixed tariff for 12 months with £30 exit fee per fuel. £328 saving compared with the price cap.
£858 - Outfox the Market, FIX'D 19 5.0 - paperless. Fixed tariff for 12 months with no exit fees. £321 saving compared with the price cap.
£864 - Outfox the Market, One Variable Tariff 7.0 - paperless. Variable tariff with no exit fees. £315 saving compared with the price cap.
£867 - Green, Oak - paperless. Variable tariff with no exit fees. £312 saving compared with the price cap.
£887 - Outfox the Market FIX'D 19 4.0 - paperless. Fixed tariff for 12 months with no exit fees. £292 saving compared with the price cap.
This month, only one of the deals has exit fees, meaning that you can switch again penalty-free if you spot a better deal or aren't satisfied with the supplier. We haven't yet rated any of the firms offering the cheapest deals this month.
The People's Energy Company tariff requires customers to pay an upfront security deposit of two months' payments. It will take this before your supply starts.
Outfox the Market's terms and conditions state that it can increase your payments in your first year: 'If it's your first year with us we can increase the standard direct debit amount by up to 25% to cover additional usage in the winter months.'
Check terms and conditions of tariffs carefully before you switch to see whether you're happy with them.
To help you find the best deal for winter heating, we've listed the cheapest gas tariffs from an energy firm that was one of the five highest-scoring in the most recent energy companies' satisfaction survey. Although most people sign up for a dual-fuel deal, it's worth checking gas and electricity prices separately because it can sometimes be cheaper to have two separate deals. Find out more about comparing gas and electricity prices.
Choose one of these and you'll join a company whose customers recommend it, as well as getting a good price for your gas.
Top five cheapest gas deals from highly rated firms
£414 - So Energy, So Yak - Seasonal Payments - paperless. Fixed tariff with exit fees of £5 per fuel.
£417 - Octopus Energy, uSwitch Octopus 12M Fixed July 2019 v2 - paperless. Fixed tariff with no exit fees.
£423 - Octopus Energy, uSwitch Exclusive Octopus 12M Fixed June 2019 v3 - paperless. Fixed tariff with no exit fees.
£426 - Octopus Energy, Exclusive Octopus 12M Fixed June 2019 v1 - paperless. Fixed tariff with no exit fees.
£427 - Tonik Energy, Go Green (1 Year) v23 - paperless. Fixed tariff with no exit fees.
All of the deals from the top-five rated firms are fixed, although only one has an exit fee (which is small, relative to other companies).
So Energy's deal comes with seasonal payments, which means that you'll pay 25% more in winter and 25% less in summer. You can opt out of these, and pay equal monthly amounts year-round, either at sign-up or on So Energy's website once you're a customer.
Cut the cost of your heating
How much it costs to heat your home depends on factors including how big it is, how well-insulated it is, and how efficient your heating is.
Cutting your gas use will not only reduce your bills, but also lower your carbon footprint.
Consider the following energy-saving improvements:
Replace your boiler with a newer, more efficient model. See Best Buy boilers.
Install heating controls and use them effectively. These include smart thermostats, thermostatic radiator valves and timers.
Insulate your loft, roof or walls. Find out more about loft insulation.
