A fairer energy deal

A fairer energy deal for your family

Still, only around 9% of Highland households switch electricity providers

A fairer energy deal – with increasing uncertainty around Brexit and rising costs, it is no surprise that many people are looking at ways to tighten their belts. For those on low incomes it has long become an absolute necessity, but all of us can save money just by being a bit savvier when it comes to the services we buy and more specifically when it comes to ‘switching’.

There are dozens of online resources, mobile apps and phone services that allow us to search for the very best deal, yet still only around 9% of Highland households switch electricity providers.

It isn’t just on electricity many of us are paying too much, we are often paying over the odds for mobile phone contracts, broadband services, credit cards and even our banking. The savings to be made by switching providers can stretch to hundreds of pounds a year. In one case I know about, the constituent saved over a thousand pounds by switching. Investing a few minutes to sit down and look at what you can save can be quite literally very rewarding!

Research shows that most people are put off from switching because they fear it is too complicated yet, in reality, most switching takes place automatically without any need for added paperwork. Even moving banks is simple, with your new bank taking responsibility for transferring all your regular payments and recurring transactions.

The Scottish Government has also invested four times as much into funding for home insulation and energy-saving measures as the UK Government has in England, so there are funding opportunities to help you keep bills lower.

Hard winter or hard Brexit, there has never been a better time to get prepared and to make sure that your controllable household costs are kept as low as possible.

Be it energy, broadband or banking costs, there is no need to be paying more, especially when here in the Highlands we are so often short-changed to start with.

Getting a fair deal for Highland families remains one of my priorities as your representative in Westminster and I will continue to work to find a solution to unjust electricity distribution costs and to put an end to inflated delivery charges.

I hope this article is also a useful reminder that you too can help get a fairer deal for your family!

Some useful links:

Ofgem: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/consumers/household-gas-and-electricity-guide/how-switch-energy-supplier-and-shop-better-deal

Energy Saving Trust – https://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/home-energy-efficiency/switching-utilities

Money Supermarket – https://www.moneysupermarket.com/gas-and-electricity/

U Switch – https://www.uswitch.com/gas-electricity/ppc-rev/new/energy