Shop around beyond the ‘Big 6’ energy providers – take a look at the alternatives

It's no secret that the 'big six' energy companies have got us all where they want us and continue to see their customers as “cash cows”. It's time to switch and save.

May 13, 2014

As consumers we need to reclaim control by switching to cheaper suppliers.

But you shouldn’t just shop around with the big 6 companies. Take a look at offers from some of the less well known companies as well:

Co-operative Energy

You can opt for either a fixed rate tariff for up to a year. and as with all cooperative products there are no shareholders so profits are shared among the customers every 6 months.

The Coop charges a single price per unit of energy consumed, whereas other companies offer discounts the more energy you use. So this is good if you don’t use much energy and also if you disagree with incentivising people who use more energy.

Ecotricity

This company supplies 100% renewable electricity, which it promises will cost “a few pounds less than the Big Six standard tariff in your region.”

It also uses its profits to build windmills and claims to have spent more per customer on building new sources of green electricity over the last nine years than all of the other suppliers put together.

Good Energy

Customers buying electricity from Good Energy can also get gas at a discounted rate. The electricity from Good Energy is 100% renewable, produced mainly from wind power.

First Utility

This company offers a variable rate, with a promise that it will be cheaper than the big six, and two fixed-rate deals, one of which won’t change until 2016.

Ovo Energy

They offer two 12 month fixed-term contracts, one of which is a 100% renewable energy tariff and one which is 15% renewable.