Compare. Switch. Save.

Comparing gas and electricity prices will save you money.

The latest 'State of the Energy Market' report from Ofgem shows that the number of unengaged customers is still high, and those who are unengaged are more likely to be on an expensive default tariff and paying over the odds.

The Energy Shop is a free and trusted energy comparison site when it comes to comparing gas and electricity. Founder members of the Ofgem Confidence Code back in 2003, our team of experts are dedicated to monitoring the energy market each day to find the best possible deals, whether you want to switch to a fixed rate tariff or find the best green energy deal to help do your bit for the environment.

Simply switching supplier with The Energy Shop could cut your average energy bills by as much as £232 a year.

At The Energy Shop, we can guide you through exactly how to switch supplier and get the best rate all in a matter of minutes.

We do this by running a price comparison comparing tariffs from suppliers across the entire market and showing all deals that meet your criteria for your area. To get started with the comparison, we will request some information about your location, current energy deal and usage. You can find all these details in your latest bill.

Once you have found the supplier and deal you wish to move to and confirmed the contract and payment method, your new supplier will contact you with a switching date. Ofgem has protocols in place to ensure switching is completed within 21 days if the supplier is part of the Energy Switch Guarantee. The average turnaround for switching supplier is around 17 days.

If you change your mind, you have 14 days to cancel from agreement.

No, don't cancel your direct debits if switching supplier.

This will be handled between the energy companies. If your supplier has gone bust and you have outstanding credit or debt, this will be sorted through the new supplier that Ofgem allocates to you.

There's no hard and fast rule of when to switch energy suppliers. However if it's been a while since you last switch or you haven't before, we would highly recommend comparing and switching. Other times it would be useful to think about switching is:

• When you're coming to the end of a fixed term deal
• If you suspect prices are about to rise - watch out for reports in the news of increases
• When you move to new accommodation
• When your circumstances change e.g. charging a new electric car

You don't need to be in credit to switch energy supplier, however there are different regulations based on the amount of debt you have and the type of tariff you currently use as to whether you can switch immediately or not. Rules are different again if you are in debt but use a prepayment meter.

If you're failing to pay your energy bills there are a number of steps you can take to avoid any disruption with your supply, and to help you repay what you owe.

Whether you can switch energy supplier whilst in rented accommodation will depend on who is named on the energy bills and who is responsible for paying them.

If the bills are in your name and you are making payments then you can change supplier as you wish. If the bills are in the name of the property owner, landlord, or an appointed agent, it is a decision they will need to make. If you are in this situation we would still recommend discussing with the relevant party.