What to do when your energy tariff ends

Fixed rate energy deals are a great way to beat rising gas and electricity rates – the unit rate you pay is fixed for the duration of your deal, meaning your bills won’t be affected by supplier price hikes or any increase in the energy price cap.

But what happens when this fixed rate deal is coming to an end? And is your energy deal coming to an end soon? Find out the answers to these questions and more, below.

What happens when a fixed rate energy deal ends?

When a fixed rate energy deal comes to an end, your supplier automatically rolls you onto its more expensive standard variable rate (SVR) tariff. Not only does this mean you’ll instantly pay more for the same energy, but because SVRs vary according to market rates, your bills will effectively increase twice if your supplier announces a price rise.

Energy companies rely on your inactivity, as they can make more from you if you let your fixed rate tariff lapse, so it’s important to make sure you switch to a new deal before your current one ends.

How soon before can you move energy before tariff ends?

You may not realise it, but you can switch from a fixed rate energy deal up to 49 days ahead of its scheduled end date. And if your deal comes with an early exit fee, you can still switch without penalty so long as it’s within this 49-day switching window.

Energy suppliers actually have a legal obligation to notify customers that their fixed rate deal is approaching its end, so you should hear from them between 42 and 49 days before your tariff ends.

If you only want to switch when your tariff ends, bear in mind that it can take up to 21 days for your switch to go through. This 21-day timeframe is a standard set out by Ofgem, the energy regulator, but most switches take place within 17 days.

This means that although you can instantly compare energy deals and switch supplier with us, the switch may not actually be finalised for up to three weeks from the date you switched with us. So it makes sense to sign up to a new deal as soon as possible, or at least 21 days before your current deal ends.

How to find out if your fixed rate energy deal is ending

There are a number of ways to find out if your energy deal is coming to an end, such as:

• Check your latest energy bill – Find a copy of your latest energy bill or, if you have an online energy tariff, log in to your account and your tariff end date will be displayed alongside the tariff name and your account number.
• Get in touch with your energy supplier – If you don’t have a bill to hand, or you don’t have access to your account online, a quick call to your energy supplier should be enough to find out your tariff information.
• Keep an eye out for your switching window letter – As mentioned above, energy suppliers have a legal obligation to let you know when your fixed rate energy deal is coming to an end, so keep an eye out for a renewal letter, which could arrive up to seven weeks before your deal’s actual end date.

Alternatively, you can check the table below to find out if your deal is due to end this month. If your deal is listed below, it’s time to switch.

Is your energy tariff ending this month?

More than 50 fixed rate tariffs end on May 31, 2021, from suppliers including:

• Avro Energy
• British Gas
• E.On
• EDF Energy
• Octopus Energy
• OVO
• Npower
• Powershop
• ScottishPower
• SSE

Thousands of customers will be affected by the subsequent price hikes, check the table below to find out if your fixed rate energy deal is coming to an end in May.

Avro Energy deals ending in May

Bristol Energy deals ending in May

British Gas deals ending in May

Co-operative Energy deals ending in May

E.On deals ending in May

EDF Energy deals ending in May

ESB deals ending in May

Green Star Energy deals ending in May

Npower Select deals ending in May

Octopus Energy deals ending in May

OVO deals ending in May

Powershop deals ending in May

ScottishPower deals ending in May

Shell Energy deals ending in May

So Energy deals ending in May

SSE deals ending in May

Tonik deals ending in May

How to choose the best energy deal

If your energy deal is due to end, you'll need to switch to a better deal to avoid overpaying for energy - but with so many suppliers offering different types of tariff, it can be difficult to know which is best for you.

This short video outlines the different types of tariff to help you make a decision.

What if you can’t find a cheaper energy deal online?

It doesn’t happen often, but there is a chance that your energy comparison won’t actually find a deal that’s cheaper than your current one. This could be because you bagged yourself a particularly good deal last time out and prices have gone up considerably, or your own circumstances may have changed.

In any case, if you've got an expiring energy deal, it’s worth running another comparison and when asked for the details of your present tariff, enter your supplier’s standard rate deal instead of the one you’re currently on.

This is because you’ll then get an idea of how much you’ll be able to save against the SVR your supplier is about to place you on, instead of the fixed rate deal you’re switching from.

In short, it’s worth switching anyway, as SVRs are invariably more expensive than the cheapest deals around.

It could also be worth giving our energy experts a call on 0800 320 2000, to see if they can help.

Ready to switch and save money on your energy bills? Enter your postcode in the box at the top of the page, or switch here.