Tariff types and switching suppliers.
Comparison · Electricity and gas plans
A fixed plan holds the unit rate for the contract term, which gives budgeting certainty but usually comes with an exit charge and no benefit if wholesale costs fall. A variable plan moves with the supplier's costs or a published index, so bills can rise or fall without notice. Compare how rates are set, what ends the lock, and what leaving early costs.
How to choose · Electricity and gas plans
Switching changes who bills you, not who keeps the lights on: the network operator continues delivering energy. The sequence is to gather your meter details and current contract terms, compare plans on real usage, check exit charges, apply, take a final reading, and verify the closing and opening bills. Regulators in most markets set cooling-off and switch-time rules, so check yours.
Suitability · Electricity and gas plans
Time-of-use tariffs charge more when the grid is busy and less when it is quiet. They suit households that can shift flexible loads such as laundry, dishwashing, water heating or vehicle charging to cheap periods, and that have a smart meter capable of recording by interval. They suit less well homes whose use is locked into evenings or who cannot automate anything.
Problems & fixes · Electricity and gas plans
Start by separating three causes: an estimated or wrong meter reading, a change in rate or standing charge, or a genuine rise in consumption from a fault or new appliance. Compare actual readings against the bill, review the rate notices you received, then dispute in writing if needed and escalate to the ombudsman or regulator route if unresolved.