Energy comparison FAQs

There's no price cap on business energy. Compare deals to find cheaper prices than your supplier's out of contract rates.

Switching your gas and/or electricity supplier can feel daunting, but in reality, the process is fairly simple. This page provides links to various guides and resources about the switching process, whether for home or business:

Any problems or questions, give us a call on 0800 688 8773__.

This page will also assist in finding answers to questions you have about switching suppliers. It also provides information about this site.

Who is UKPower?

UKPower Ltd is an independent and impartial gas and electricity price comparison and switching site that was set up in 2001. Our aim is to make it easy for people at home and in business to compare gas, electricity and dual fuel prices between energy suppliers and switch to a better deal.

We gather data from all suppliers and other third party sources and we have developed price comparison calculators to make it easy for you to compare all suppliers and tariffs, ordered by cost or service rating.

We earn our income from a small referral fee if you switch to a new energy supplier using this website. This referral fee does not affect the price you pay, and this comparison service is provided to you for free.

UKPower Service Standards

We welcome feedback and suggestions on how to improve our service and will consider all suggestions. We strive for high standards of customer service and will respond to any complaints or enquiries within 2 working days. Complaints will be handled quickly, effectively, fairly, and confidentially. In case of disputes, we will keep you informed about progress. In the event of a complaint or difficulty, please use our complaints form to contact UKPower via e-mail.

How is UKPower's energy comparison free to use?

Our service to you is free of charge. We do not collect any payments through our website, nor do we enter into any direct contracts for the supply of electricity or gas. When you switch your gas and/or supplier with us, we handle the switching process for you and are paid through commissions that are paid to us by the supplier. The price the supplier will charge you is the price shown on our website.

How does UKPower make money through referral fees?

Some, but not all, suppliers pay a referral fee to UKPower for new customers. This does not affect the presentation of results in any way as we show results with complete impartiality. All suppliers and tariffs are listed on this website regardless of commercial arrangements.

We appreciate your custom and encourage you to switch to your new supplier through the links on our web site. We depend on your support by using our links to apply to new suppliers, and this helps to finance the operation of this free service.

Is the UKPower website secure?

All areas on the website where we collect sensitive information are protected through SSL. This ensures that all sensitive data collected is fully encrypted before being sent to us. The areas of the website protected through SSL will be visually represented by a padlock symbol that appears in the address bar or status bar of your browser.

As part of our ongoing relationship with the energy suppliers, we are audited by external security consultants to ensure that all data is collected and stored in a secure way.

We do not pass on any of your details to any third party other than the energy supplier that you are switching to.

How is it possible to save money on my energy bills?

The domestic energy supply market is full of competition amongst suppliers of gas and electricity to households in England, Scotland and Wales – namely, between the ‘Big Six’ suppliers and smaller, independent companies. While the actual supply of electricity and gas you receive is always the same, you can change your supplier or tariff to get yourself a better deal and pay less for the energy you use. The easiest way to find out if you could save is to run a market comparison.

Do I need to change any pipes or wires if I change suppliers?

The actual electricity and gas you use is the same with whichever supplier you use, and it all travels down the same pipes and wires - so you can switch your supplier without any extra installations.

There are some households using local supply networks that cannot switch, but these are very rare and usually only in remote areas.

What is the process for switching?

Once a supplier has been chosen, they will need to give your current supplier 28 days’ notice to hand over the reigns - so the process should take 5 to 8 weeks.

During this time, you will be contacted and asked for a meter reading. If unable to do this yourself, they will arrange for the meter to be read.

The meter reading will determine the final amount paid to your current supplier, so make a note of it and the date it was taken. The next bill will be from your new supplier(s).

Do you recommend everybody should switch?

If price is your only criterion and the savings are very small, we recommend staying with your current supplier. It is possible they may become more or less competitive, so it’s a good idea to still check with us every now and then. People currently with the Big Six who have never switched will usually have the most to gain by switching.

I have special needs. Will this affect my choice of companies?

All suppliers are required to comply with a code of practice setting out services for elderly, disabled and chronically sick customers. Also, they must provide facilities to assist blind, partially sighted, deaf and hearing impaired customers – so this should not affect your choice of supplier.

What type of contract will I be asked to sign?

The most common type of contract is rolling contract, where the price can fluctuate and has a 28 day cancellation period. There are also fixed term contracts for one or two years, where the price is set for this duration.

I owe money to my current supplier. Do I have to settle this? Once you decide to change supplier, you will have to settle any outstanding balance with your old supplier.

What about my boiler / central heating contract?

This is not affected if you switch.

Is anybody acting in consumers’ interest?

Ofgem is the Government’s appointed regulator of the gas and electricity market. They can fine or even remove a supplier’s licence if a company acts improperly.

Consumer Direct is the Government helpline providing advice and information for consumers by telephone, and online. You can contact them on 08454 040506 if you have any problems.

Is my data secure?

We are registered under the Data Protection Act 1998. If you follow a link from our site to a supplier’s online application, they are also registered under the Data Protection Act. Any requests for your personal financial information, e.g. bank details for Direct Debits, are made within a secure server environment.

What about safety and loss of supply?

To report a gas escape or gas safety issues, call the National Gas Service Emergency Line on 0800 111 999. Your new electricity supplier will give you contact numbers for faults or power cuts.

I have been billed twice for the same energy. What now?

Only one supplier can bill you for gas or electricity used, so one billing is in error. Verify your correct supplier by contacting:

  • Gas - Xoserve Helpline: 0870 608 1524
  • Electricity - Phone your original local electricity company and ask for their Meter Point Administration Service (MPAS). You can then contact the supplier billing in error to cancel the bill.

You can find out more at who is my gas and electricity supplier?

What happens if my supplier goes out of business?

If your energy supplier goes bust, Ofgem will find you a new one until you choose another, without any disruption to your supplier. Find out more in the video below.

What to do if your energy supplier goes bust

It’s not often that an energy supplier will go bust, but it can happen - this video shows what you need to do if your supplier suddenly stops trading