British Gas, EDF, OVO, Octopus customers given 24 hour warning

With energy prices due to rise on January 1, UK households have been told to take action within 24 hours.

To avoid being overcharged in the new year, Uswitch.com is offering its top tips to help households prepare for their winter bills. The energy price cap will be hiked from January 1 for British Gas, OVO, EDF, E.ON, Octopus customers and more, reports BirminghamLive.

People can check their payments and meter readings, track their energy usage and make small changes around the home to try to save money this winter.

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Natalie Mathie, energy expert at Uswitch.com, said: “The cost of energy for households on standard variable tariffs is going up on January 1, which means energy bills are likely to be the highest they’ve ever been for most homes this winter.

“With costs increasing at the coldest time of year, households should take some steps beforehand to ensure they are accurately charged for the energy they have used in the past three months. Households without a smart meter should submit their readings to their supplier on or around December 31. This will ensure your usage from December will be charged under the cheaper rates, and not the more expensive January prices.

“Remember that the size of your bill is determined by how much energy you use. The more you use, the more you’ll pay. This means it’s more important than ever to keep an eye on your energy usage and submit regular meter readings. Households who would like more price certainty over the winter months should see what fixed deals are available on a comparison site like Uswitch.”