The detail – how we actually compare

From your address we identify the region of the country in which you live and filter out the range of tariffs available to you, because energy suppliers have different prices in different regions. There are 14 different regions in the UK, known as PES regions, each carrying their own set of rates/prices for any given tariff. Imagine the costs to provide power in the Scottish Highlands (long cables to a few spread-out properties) compared to the costs to provide power in London to thousands of properties in one block of flats.

From the details of your current energy supplier, current energy tariff, current payment method and current consumption, we calculate the annual bill that you will pay with your current supplier based on their latest prices. We then compare this to the bills that you would pay with all the other energy suppliers and prices available to you in your area, based upon your payment and tariff preferences.

If you do not know your annual usage in kilowatt hours, but know your approximate annual gas bill and/or electricity bill, then we will use the bill information you give us to calculate your annual energy usage based upon your current energy supplier's latest prices. From the calculated usage figure, we then compare the bills that you will pay with your current supplier with the energy bills that you would pay with the other energy suppliers and energy tariffs available to you in your area, based upon your payment and tariff preferences.

The estimated savings are calculated by subtracting the annual cost of the new tariff from the cost with your current energy supplier and tariff.

Filters

The default presentation of the results is shown strictly in the order of lowest cost (highest saving) first. You are then able to narrow your results by selecting the tariff types you are interested in, e.g. fixed/variable tariff, paper/paperless billing, etc. You can also choose to sort your results by factors other than price (for example, by length of fixed period or tariffs with no exit penalty) and decide which energy payment options you want to see.

Please note that you can opt to filter tariffs based on the features and preferences you require. However, if you choose to do this to refine your search, then you will only see those tariffs that match your criteria. In this case you may no longer see the cheapest energy tariffs available to you.

The calculation details explained

Our calculator uses the most up-to-date energy prices available, and the website is often updated within hours of a price increase being announced. This means that the calculator is always using the most up-to-date information for comparison purposes.

The calculator looks at several variables when calculating the annual bill for each tariff. It then works out how much you could save by switching from your current energy supplier to each available tariff. The variables used are:

• Standing charges – this is where the supplier charges a fixed daily amount irrespective of the amount of energy that you use. This does not apply to all energy tariffs.
• Unit rates – these are the rates that you pay for each unit of gas and electricity that you use. In working out which unit rates to apply, we take into consideration consumption thresholds. This is where different unit charges apply depending upon the amount of energy that you use in a given period. Typically, you will pay a higher unit rate for the first block of units used in a given period, and a lower rate for the second and subsequent blocks of units used thereafter.
• Discounts – we take into consideration all recurring discounts or charges that are automatically applied to the given tariff.

Historic plans

Our calculator includes plans that a customer may currently be signed up to, but which may no longer be available for new customers. These tariffs are sometimes called historic tariffs. Examples include fixed price or capped price energy deals that an energy supplier previously offered, but which have now been withdrawn from the market. We include these in our database so that you can compare these tariffs with other deals in the marketplace. However, as they are not available to new customers, they are not included in the results table. The list of such tariffs we allow for comparison purposes is extensive but not exhaustive. Because many of these prices are no longer published, we cannot guarantee that we can include them all.

The advantages of using The Energy Shop to switch

1. It makes the switching process much easier for you, because we can accept applications and send them securely and electronically to your new energy supplier.
2. If things don't work out with your new supplier, then you have an independent record with an independent party (that's us) as evidence of what you signed up to. And we can help out with the switch process if needed.
3. It doesn't cost you anything. We don't charge you, and the price for the tariff you apply for will be the same as if you went to the supplier directly.
4. We only deal with suppliers that we have researched and vetted. We do not deal with suppliers that have limited capital and use customers' money to gamble on your energy bills.

How can I tell which tariffs you earn a commission on?

On the results page, some tariffs will have an "Apply" button next to them. An "Apply" button allows you to make an application. If that application goes through successfully, then we will earn a commission.