With rising energy prices and the ongoing cost of living challenges, it can sometimes feel like our money is rolling away from us. We understand the financial burden that unpaid care can so often have upon household income.

Being familiar with regular financial outgoings can help us feel more in control. Energy tariffs can appear complicated and confusing but understanding them is key to navigating the system and making it work for you.

Before you begin to consider the best energy tariff for you, it’s important you understand how to read your bills.

Centre for Sustainable Energy have created a fictional bill in order to explain what each of the different sections mean. Once you understand your bill, it will be easier for you to make steps towards ensuring you are on the best tariff for you.

Your energy tariff is how your provider charges you for gas and electricity. Your tariff is built around a unit rate, a rate you pay for each unit of energy you use.

There are two main types of tariffs:

• Fixed-rate tariffs off stability and your price per unit is set for a fixed period of time.
• Variable-rate tariffs can go up and down, in line with changes to the Energy Price Cap or wholesale energy prices.

All tariffs are either fixed or variable, but within those two categories are several variations of tariff. Money Saving Expert explains the differences between these well.

Exploring the numerous options available to you can be time consuming and overwhelming. Thankfully, there are online comparison tools available to make this task more manageable.

These tools monitor the energy market and can quickly show you if switching suppliers and/or plans could save you money. Make sure you have recent energy bills to hand to input accurate usage details for the best recommendations.

Energy comparison tools:

If you’re having difficulties paying your energy bills, or you’re worried about falling into debt, the first step is always to get in touch with your energy supplier.

By having that conversation, they are required to work with you to find a solution. For example, they can help you to set up an affordable debt repayment plan and or change your payment method to better suit you.  

Centre for Sustainable Energy have some great advice for anyone concerned about paying energy bills.

For further support, National Energy Action provide practical advice on energy saving, and signposting to resources and organisations who can help.