Changing Energy Supplier

[HongKongphooey]

Does anyone know how easy it is to change Energy supplier? We have come to the end of our fixed term contract with SSE (part of OVO) and they fitted a smart meter about a year ago.
Ive heard rumours its a nightmare to change if you have smart meter. And would it be best to go to a comparison site?

[goodgoalie]

There's not much point at the moment as all the prices are pretty much the same because of the energy price cap. Best to wait and see.

[HongKongphooey]

ok Thanks think Ill get in touch with SSE to arrange another contract then

[barry1010]

Don't enter a contract, the cheapest available is the non-contract capped price. Just do nothing until things change

[barry1010]

By the way, having a smart meter makes no difference to changing supplier

[Maydup]

We’re all paying the same rates now as all suppliers are charging up to the cap. But as advised don’t lock in as things might change and you want freedom to decide later.

[237SJ]

If you sign up with a new supplier, they tell your old supplier so you don't have to do much. Might be worth taking a photo of the closing meter readings as evidence.

[Buenchico]

As GG indicates, all energy suppliers are struggling to keep within the price limits set by Ofgem at the moment. (That's why about 40 suppliers have gone bust and even some really big firms, such as Shell Energy, now look set to leave the market). So they're all charging the absolute permitted maximum at the moment.

Even if there were variations in what energy suppliers were charging, what customers wouldn't actually pay wouldn't change. For example, the current Ofgem price cap is 67p per kWh and that's what all suppliers are now charging. However the UK government has set its own price cap of 34p per kWh, meaning that for every kWh of energy that's used, the customer pays 34p and the government pays the remaining 33p. If, say, an energy supplier was able to cut their price to 57p per kWh, it would be the government that saved 10p on every kWh, with the customer still paying 34p.