Guardian: “Consumers who took part in the most recent council-led collective switching auction to get cheaper gas and electricity bills saved an average of £232 per household, the Local Government Assocation (LGA) has revealed.”
“The total savings of residents who switched fuel supplier after the June 2014 collective switching auction was £920,000, according to the LGA, which represents the vast majority of English councils. Three new schemes are to launch this week in the latest round of the initiative.
Collective switching schemes are promoted by councils, which encourage their residents to group together and use their collective power to negotiate a better price for their energy. Once residents are signed up, switching provider iChoosr receives bids from energy companies.
Sixty councils took part in the June auction and 3,966 households subsequently switched supplier. Four tariffs were created for households taking part Savings for those with pre-payment meters, which are often on the least competitive rates and find it the most difficult to switch, average £112.
….The average dual-fuel bill is now £1,264, though this varies according to energy consumption and type of payment. In 2013/14 energy bills rose by an average of £90. Current estimates suggest that just one in five UK households is on the lowest possible tariff.”
Future Today
