ENDS 10pm SUN. MSE Big Energy Switch Event 10
Martin: "Don't whinge about energy price hikes. Hit 'em where it hurts - get off your backside, ditch, switch & save £330+."  

 Martin here... Last week Scottish Power announced 5.5% price hikes to hit in Ju ne, making it the fourth of the big six energy firms to announce price rises - following Brit Gas, E.on and EDF. The rest will likely follow.

Whinging does nothing though. We live in a world where the do-somethings get far cheaper prices than the do-nothings. The way to protest with a real effect, is to ditch them, move elsewhere and likely save yourself large in the process. 

Yet many people tell me they're scared, confused or worried about moving to new, unknown firms with no track record. So for our Big Switch event, the team have been out there securing a dirt-cheap price, from reliable firms, with great service or a big name.

We've got two. One from top service provider Bulb and the other a long fix from big name EDF, yet they END THIS SUNDAY. So don't put it off, it may be warmer outside but these will cut costs now and next winter. Now over to the team to explain them in detail... 

Big Switch 10 Winner I: 
Bulb - typical saving £330+/yr, 95% 'great' service, no early exit fees and it's renewable electricity

This new Bulb Vari-Fair deal, available via our Cheap Energy Club, is the market's cheapest from a top-service rated supplier - one that's built up more than 300,000 customers in 3yrs due to huge word-of-mouth recommendation. And in our last customer service poll, it got an outrageous 95% 'great' rating (from 295 votes).

To explain further... this is Bulb's normal tariff, with an extra £55 off. You get £30 dual-fuel bill credit within 3mths of switching (half for elec-only) from Bulb, and our usual MSE £25 dual-fuel cashback (£12.50 elec-only) that we give on any tariff we can switch you to. 

The tariff is variable, so Bulb can move prices. Last year it actually cut 'em twice, before a modest 2.8% rise this year - still leaving it very cheap. If prices do change, you'll get two months' notice, and can leave any time without exit penalties.

Bulb also has a popular refer-a-friend scheme, where the referrer and newbie each get £50. Though with our deal you get a tad more without needing to know an existing customer. Here are key facts:

- It's available for dual fuel & elec-only, incl Economy 7.
- Bulb will pay any exit fees from your current supplier, up to £60 per fuel.
- You must pay by monthly direct debit and get paperless billing.
- It's not available on prepay or in Northern Ireland.
- Ends 10pm Sun 29 Apr, but there's no cap.
- As it's variable, you can move home with it, though you'll need to sign up again at your new property.
- 100% of electricity and 10% of gas is from renewable energy sources.

A two-year fix is great for those who want longer-term peace of mind, and it means you don't have to bother to switch as regularly. Our winner here is the special EDF Simply Fix Apr20, available for new and existing EDF customers (for many of whom it's a no-brainer). It's fixed until 30 April 2020, so the rates won't change until then.

As you can see, it's the cheapest two-winter fix, plus it's from a big six provider. Here are the key facts: 

- Only those who were recipients of this email or existing Cheap Energy Club members before 10am Tue 10 Apr can get this tariff.
- Available for dual fuel and elec-only, incl Eco 7.
- Not available for prepay or in Northern Ireland.
- Pay by monthly direct debit or quarterly cheque/DD.
- There are 2,500 switches left, and it ends Sun at 10pm.
- It's portable, so you can take it with you if you move home.
- There are £70 dual-fuel exit fees (£35 single fuel) if you leave early.
- Some existing EDF custs will be charged early exit penalties if they switch to it, depending on their current deal.

Prepay or live in Northern Ireland?

No deals here, we're afraid. But you can still switch and save...

- Prepay customers: Try our prepay comparison - savings are smaller, typically £100/yr, but it could still be worth doing. For bigger savings, see if you can switch to a credit meter. See Cut Prepay Energy Costs.

- Northern Ireland: No UK comparisons include NI, but see Cheap NI Electricity or the Consumer Council for Northern Ireland's tool.

Your common energy-switching questions answered... 
For more, see the full Cheap Energy Club FAQs

Q. What info do I need to switch? It's best if you have a bill, and input kilowatt hours (kWh) into Cheap Energy Club, rather than cost. But don't worry if you don't know your usage; the tool can guesstimate for you. While the answer won't be perfect, it's usually far better than doing nowt.

Q. Does MSE make money from this? Yes. Like all energy comparison sites, we're paid each time you switch through us, yet we give you about half in cashback (money you don't get if you go direct), so it's a win-win. The rest helps cover our costs and hopefully makes us some profit.

Q. How does Cheap Energy Club work? It does three things:
1) We compare ALL market tariffs to show your price and saving.
2) You get £25 dual-fuel cashback (£12.50 single fuel) if we can switch you. It's paid roughly 90 days later.
3) We monitor for better deals. You set a 'trigger saving', eg, £150/yr, then we alert you if you can save this by switching again.

And some quickies...

Q. Can I switch if I've a smart meter? Yes, but you may lose functionality. See Smart switch.
Q. How come it's put my price up when I'm fixed? The rate's fixed, but your bill depends on your usage. See Unfair direct debits.
Q. How do I find the standing charge and kWh cost? They vary by region, so we display yours in the comparison result.
Q. Can I pick a date for the switch? No. Providers don't allow this.
Q. I'm in credit. Will I get it back? Yes. See Reclaim credit.
Q. I'm in energy debt. Can I switch? Usually, see Switching in debt.
Q. I've solar panels. Can I still switch? Yes. See Solar info.
Q. Is monthly direct debit cheapest? Yes, but do regular meter readings.
Q. Why do you show a different cost from my supplier's? Enter kWh and we show the avg each month, yet your direct debit's an estimate so can differ. Direct debit help.
Q. I've an independent gas transporter - can I switch? Yes. See IGT help.