Consumers in Northern Ireland could save hundreds of pounds by switching energy suppliers, the Consumer Council has advised.
It comes as the government's Energy Price Guarantee scheme comes into effect today, Tuesday, November 1.
As part of this scheme, energy and gas suppliers across Northern Ireland will apply tariff reductions which will reduce the unit costs of electricity and gas.
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Peter McClenaghan, Director of Infrastructure and Sustainability at the Consumer Council said: “Consumers in Northern Ireland will welcome the Energy Price Guarantee as it will reduce their electricity and gas bills.
"The scheme will apply a discount to the unit prices of electricity and gas and all suppliers will apply the same discount. This means some energy suppliers’ prices will still be much higher than others, so we are encouraging consumers to think about switching supplier or tariff as some households could make savings of over £500."
To take the hassle out of switching, the Consumer Council’s free online Energy Price Comparison Tool on its website, lets consumers see all available tariffs from all suppliers in one place.
This empowers consumers to check which options give them the best deal for their energy. Electricity and gas supplies won’t be interrupted during the switching process.
Peter continued: “Consumers should know that their exact electricity and gas bills will still depend on how much energy they use – as the scheme is a discount – not a price cap.
"We also encourage any consumers who are struggling to pay their energy bills or to top-up their meter, to contact their supplier directly for help and information.”
The Consumer Council has launched an Energy Efficiency campaign, providing consumers with short animations outlining practical steps to help make their electricity and heating go that little bit further. The animations can be viewed at www.consumercouncil.org.uk/costofliving/energy.
Consumers can also get in touch with the Consumer Council for free independent advice by calling Freephone 0800 121 6022 or emailing contact@consumercouncil.org.uk.
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