Helpful Advice and Guides

One of the big six energy suppliers in the UK, SSE are home to countless customers up and down the country. Formally known as Scottish Hydro and SSE Hydro before they were rebranded simply as SSE, the company remain one of the leaders in UK energy. Unfortunately, for all their success, they don’t report particularly well on their own business.

Co-op energy are one of the most trusted energy companies in the UK, thanks to their promise to never take profits for themselves, and to instead put them into valuable community projects or improving their service. As such, a great many people have moved to Co-op over the last few years. Whilst that’s certainly a good thing, the Co-op don’t

If your meter reading is too high and you believe your meter to be faulty, then you should notify your electricity supplier such as Swalec as soon as possible. It is rarely ever the case that sky-high meter readings are accurate, so rest assured your electricity supplier will look into it for you. Possible reasons for a high meter reading

Since its launch in 2009, Ovo has gone from niche energy supplier to highly rated and highly regarded member of the UK energy scene, scooping up almost 3% of the market at the same time. Much of that success has been built on the back of their fair pricing, but there’s one area where they consistently fail to live up

As the UK’s leading pay-as-you-go energy supplier, Utilita play a huge roll in the lives of countless citizens of the United Kingdom. Established in 2004, Utilita came to the market with a view of simplifying the service customers were used to getting from the Big Six. Needless to say, that’s been a huge success for the company, although there is

Do you have a QR code on your energy bill like the one pictured above? You are not alone – everyone has one on their energy bill! You have the Government to thank for that one, who presume you’re going to need it. But what are QR codes, and why are they on your bill? In this article, you’ll find out!

The next generation of switching services for your energy supply is on the horizon, bringing us new ways to find better deals and make timely switches in order to save money. These new ‘smart switching’ companies claim millions of UK consumers could save hundreds of pounds through using their service, but will they really work? What is smart switching? Smart

Major UK energy supplier, British Gas, have recently unveiled a ground-breaking new tariff, designed to cut energy bills and help their customers save. In an industry first, they are actually offering to give energy away for free for one day a week, to anyone taking up their newly designed FreeTime offer. As customers scramble to sign up for this unusual

With an advanced payment energy plan, you pay for your energy upfront in return for a fixed discount. This is a similar concept to paying for your car insurance upfront as opposed to monthly. Advanced payment plans will be cheaper than a standard energy plan, but they do require you to part with money upfront. While you can’t choose whether

EDF customers can call 0843 770 5028 to speak to an EDF expert about the cold weather payment and Warm Home Discount. The EDF Warm Home Discount Scheme is now open to new applications in 2017. To apply for the EDF Warm Home Discount, visit this page. What is a Warm Home Discount? A Warm Home Discount is a special promotion

E.On have been a major player in the UK’s gas and electricity market for many years now. Formerly known as Powergen, the company was taken over by German energy supplier E.On back in 2002. However, Powergen continued to supply the UK under its own name until 2007 when the brand was changed to bring it in line with its parent

After you make the switch to First Utility, you can begin accessing and viewing your account online. This allows you to manage your account with ease and provides a level of convenience that will only enhance your experience with First Utility. The ‘My Account’ feature offered by First Utility lets you view your energy statistics in real-time, and it also

According to recently released figures, Scotland could be producing far “greener”, more sustainable energy than the rest of the United Kingdom. An analysis conducted by the campaign group “WWF Scotland” found that the emissions in the region are far lower than those generated by the UK altogether. The analysis of the latest numbers, which considered the emissions generated during 2014,

What Is the Biggest Pollutant in The World? From the melting ice caps, to various other forms of environmental damage, many of the problems that we face in our world today can be attributed to a limited list of consumer products – each emitting a range of pollutants detrimental to the air around us. Soot that comes from cooking stoves

In a world where many property owners already lament the prices of energy, 2017 could represent a tough period for utility bills. In March, EDF Energy have announced that they will be raising their prices by around 8.4%, alongside the other “big” energy providers who are expected to match the hike. For householders, this means that it might be time

In the United Kingdom, energy suppliers / utility companies are required by law to publish details of the fuel sources that they use to generate electricity. In our previous article, we looked into the fuel mix of British Gas with some surprising results (take a look at the linked article to see for yourself). This week, we will be taking

Calorific Value is a measure of heating power. All fuels, from gas to diesel to coal and wood, have their own Calorific Value upon combustion. We will focus on natural gas here, as an example of how Calorific Values are calculated and used by one fuel industry. The ‘CV’ of gas is expressed in megajoules per cubic metre (Mj/m3), which

What is the best smart meter? The answer to this question is simple – all smart meters do the same thing, and offer the same features. However, the user interface differs from supplier to supplier. It is also important to make clear that your smart meter is something that you will not interact with. Your smart meter will simply replace

British Gas, like all energy suppliers, has a fuel mix that incorporates several different fuels. British Gas was founded in a time when coal and nuclear were the primary energy sources for electricity generation. Now, renewable energy sources are just as sustainable, which has led to British Gas diversifying its fuel mix considerably in the last 10 years. British Gas

British Gas is the largest energy and home services provider in the UK. It supplies gas and electricity to approximately 11 million homes and hundreds of thousands of businesses nationwide, as well as providing a number of other home service and products. British Gas is the trading name of British Gas Services Limited and British Gas New Heating Limited, both

If you have called one of your utility providers recently – whether they be your energy supplier, or your broadband provider – you may have been on the phone for a long time. But why is this? The reason why some customer service phone calls take so long, is because some companies have not employed enough people to answer the

The E.ON Saving Energy Toolkit helps E.ON customers to find out more about the energy they use, and how they use it. The Toolkit helps customers to understand more about their relationship with their energy, with the end goal of giving customers more control. E.ON’s Saving Energy Toolkit also offers the following benefits: 1. It lets you see how much

The E.ON Energy Fund is a scheme that helps people who are struggling to pay their energy debt, by paying off a proportion of their debt for them. The Energy Fund helps people regain control over their bills, by clearing some of their gas or electricity arrears. It can also help people cover the cost of replacement appliances, such as

With 2016 drawing to a close, now is as good a time as any to review utility companies for their performance throughout the year. Today, we will be taking a look at First Utility, who are the biggest independent energy supplier in the United Kingdom. First Utility – The Outlook for 2016 In 2015, Cornwall Energy published a report detailing

In a world obsessed with finding the most efficient way to store, and use energy, innovations in the world of “greener” power will always spark interest. Recently, a £18.4 million grid battery system in Bedfordshire has completed its second round of trials designed to prove that energy storage is a realistic solution for Britain. A company called “UK Power Networks”

You expect to have a credit check made on you when you take out a loan or when you finance a new car – but did you know that some energy suppliers run a credit check on new customers too? Energy supplier credit checks are commonplace in the energy industry, and particularly so with the ‘big six’, who are British

Usually, frozen energy prices would be a cause for celebration – but as big providers such as E.ON, Good Energy, SSE and British Gas put their price hikes on hold, modern consumers are being warned that they may still be paying too much for their utility bills. As an independent supplier, Good Energy was the first brand to hold its

A recent report conducted by the National Infrastructure Commision found that families could save £75 a year if they use their appliances at ‘off-peak’ times. Spread across all families in the UK, that equals a net saving of £8 billion a year. We estimate that the cost of ‘off-peak’ electricity is some 40 per cent less than the cost of ‘on-peak’

It is hard to measure exactly how much energy appliances use when they are on standby. The reason we say this, is because all appliances use a different amount of energy even when they are on standby. So for example, a television will use a different amount of energy than a microwave oven when on standby. However, it has been

Npower value their customers and if it is possible that you could be paying less with them, you will be notified on your bill. All of the tariff details that can be found on the front of your bill will be the most affordable prices available at the time your bill was printed. However, it is important to note that

With cooler temperatures arriving and energy prices on the increase, making your home more energy efficient for winter is a smart thing to do. But are there any truly proven ways to make a home more energy efficient, ways which will lead to a warmer home and a decreased need to turn on the central heating? If you wish to

You don’t need to be a British Gas customer to take advantage of their one-off repair service – which is good news if you are not part of an ongoing maintenance programme. Boiler breakdown is one of the most disruptive home crises that can occurs, particularly in winter when need is greatest. Suddenly finding yourself and your family without hot

If you’ve ever wanted to invest in a truly futuristic home set-up, then one of the most exciting things you can do for your property today is to purchase “smart” home products. The world of smart home products reaches all the way from smart security that turns lights on in your home when you’re out to ward of burglars, to

If you’ve long expected your energy company to play a part in ensuring that you’re paying the lowest possible costs on your bills – then you may be in for a shock. According to recent research, customers are spending around £1.4 billion more than they should be on electricity and gas – indicating that consumers across the UK aren’t getting

If you find that your energy bills are often through the rough because you’re constantly battling to keep the heat at a reasonable temperature while the cracked windows and doors around your home fill your property with cold air, then you might need to think about some repair solutions fast. While having rattling windows and billowing curtains in the summer

When it comes to paying for your gas, and electricity, homeowners and renters will find that there are often several different opportunities available to them. One of the solutions that you might consider, is a prepayment meter. At present, nearly 6 million people across the United Kingdom have a prepayment meter. As the name suggests, these meters require you to

Utility companies in the UK are currently in the process of replacing wired analogue technology with a new generation of tech designed to measure gas, water, and electricity usage. These devices are known as “smart meters”, and they are considered to be the next big step in the world of utilities, because they are far more innovative than standard meters

The British Gas annual service is for home owners with a boiler. Boilers need to be serviced at timely periods to ensure that they continue to work properly – and to ensure that they are safe. When you book a British Gas annual service, a British Gas engineer will visit your home. This will be performed on a day and

The British people have voted out of the European Union. In an unprecedented referendum, leave finished ahead, at 51.9 per cent of the vote (1). The fall out of this result has included the resignation of the Prime Minister, the FTSE hitting a 31-year low (2), the pound plunging to levels not seen since 1985 (2) and the UK’s credit rating outlook cut

Ever wondered how utility companies identify your property’s electrical and gas insulations? They do so using unique identifying numbers, which all meters have. These are officially called the Meter Point Administration Number (MPAN) on electricity meters, and the Meter Point Reference Number (MPRN) on gas meters. However, most people simply call them ‘supply numbers’. Where is my electricity supply number (MPAN)? Your