Switching your home energy supplier is one of the most effective ways to reduce your household bills. With energy prices changing, staying on an old, uncompetitive tariff could mean you’re paying hundreds of pounds more than you need to each year. The good news is that the process has never been simpler, faster, or safer. Thanks to rules from the energy regulator, Ofgem, the entire switch is now handled by your new supplier and completed in just five working days.

This guide will walk you through the entire process, from gathering the information you’ll need to understanding your rights and receiving your final bill. Whether you’re a homeowner or a tenant, on a credit meter or a prepayment meter, we’ll cover everything you need to know to switch with confidence.

Switching Is Back on the Rise

For most of the last two decades, well over 300,000 households a month switched electricity supplier, and almost as many switched gas, with the busiest years just before the pandemic. Then the energy crisis stopped it almost overnight. When wholesale prices surged in late 2021, every deal on the market cost more than the price cap, around 30 suppliers went bust, and the survivors stopped competing for new customers. Monthly switches fell by roughly 80% and stayed there for the best part of two years.

The chart below shows the recovery since. Wholesale prices have eased, suppliers are once again offering fixed deals priced below the cap, and the five-working-day switching rules have made moving quicker and safer than it was before the crisis. By mid-2026 around 300,000 households a month were switching electricity again and about 240,000 gas - still short of the old peaks, but climbing. Put simply, there are savings to be had again, and more people are going after them.

Number of Domestic Customers Switching Supplier

What You'll Need Before You Switch

To get the most accurate quotes and ensure a smooth switch, it’s best to have a few details to hand. You can find most of this information on a recent energy bill or by logging into your supplier’s online account or app. If you’re unsure how to find these details, our guide on ‘How to Read Your Domestic Energy Bill’ can help.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Your postcode.

• The name of your current energy supplier.

• The name of your current tariff (e.g., ‘Standard Variable Tariff’ or a fixed deal name).

• Your energy consumption. This is best given in kilowatt-hours (kWh) for both gas and electricity. If you can’t find this, a price comparison tool can estimate it based on your house size and habits.

• Your current payment method and how you’d like to pay your new supplier.

• Your bank details if you plan to pay by Direct Debit.

The Switching Process: A 5-Step Guide

Once you have your information ready, the switch itself is a straightforward, five-step process that is mostly handled for you.

1. Compare Tariffs and Choose a New Deal. The first step is to find a better deal. Use an Ofgem-accredited price comparison website like SwitchPal to see what’s available. When comparing, look beyond the monthly estimate and check the key details: the unit rate (price per kWh of energy used), the standing charge (a fixed daily cost), and the contract length. Once you’ve found a tariff you’re happy with, you can apply for it directly through the comparison site or on the supplier’s website.

2. Your New Supplier Takes Over. After you’ve confirmed your new deal, your work is done. Your new supplier will contact your old supplier to begin the transfer of your account. You do not need to tell your old supplier you are leaving - this is all handled for you to prevent any interruption to your supply.

3. Receive Confirmation and a Switch Date. Your new supplier will send you a welcome pack confirming the details of your new tariff and your official switch-over date. The entire process should be completed within five working days. You are also protected by a 14-day cooling-off period.

4. The Cooling-Off Period. From the day you agree to the contract, you have a 14-day cooling-off period. During this time, you can cancel the switch without giving a reason and without facing any exit fees or penalties.

5. Provide a Meter Reading and Receive Your Final Bill. On or around your switching day, your new supplier will ask for a meter reading to ensure your first bill is accurate. Your old supplier will use this same reading to calculate your final bill, which they must send you within six weeks of the switch. If your old account is in credit, they must refund you automatically within 14 days of sending the final bill.

Today's Cheapest Deals

Step one is easier with the market in front of you. The explorer below ranks the ten cheapest deals currently open to new customers across the whole market, shown as the estimated annual bill for a typical household paying by Direct Debit. Use the tabs to switch between dual fuel, electricity only and gas only, and to narrow the list to fixed deals or price cap trackers. Each table ends with a typical standard variable tariff, so the saving from switching is visible at a glance.

Dual fuelGas + electricityElectricityElectricity onlyGasGas only

All dealsFixedTrackers

Tariff		Annual bill
	So Energy So Green Tracker 24m Tracker · 24 months · £190 exit fee · green	£1,662 £1,609 - £1,747 by region
	Outfox Energy Outfox the Price Cap Tracker 12M Dual - V3.101 Tracker · 12 months · £150 exit fee	£1,694 £1,643 - £1,777 by region
	So Energy So Green Tracker 12m Tracker · 12 months · £100 exit fee · green	£1,713 £1,659 - £1,798 by region
	E.ON Next Next Pledge Tracker 12m V12 Tracker · 12 months · £50 exit fee	£1,715 £1,662 - £1,800 by region
	EDF Energy Simply Tracker Jan28 Tracker · 15 months · £100 exit fee	£1,715 £1,662 - £1,800 by region
	British Gas Cap Tracker Mar2028 v1 Tracker · 17 months · £50 exit fee	£1,715 £1,662 - £1,800 by region
	ScottishPower Cap Tracker Dec 2027 v1 Tracker · 14 months · £100 exit fee	£1,751 £1,698 - £1,836 by region
	Sainsbury's Energy Sainsburys Track and Reward 12m v1 Tracker · 12 months	£1,766 £1,713 - £1,851 by region
	Sainsbury's Energy Sainsburys Energy Fix and Save 24m v11 Fixed · 24 months · £200 exit fee	£1,800 £1,750 - £1,861 by region
	Sainsbury's Energy Sainsburys Fix and Reward Fixed 12m v83 Fixed · 12 months · £100 exit fee	£1,832 £1,785 - £1,894 by region
	Typical standard variable tariff Variable · no fixed term · no exit fee	£1,723 if you don't switch

▸Prices are correct as of 22nd October 2026. Source: SwitchPal analysis of whole-of-market domestic tariff data.

Estimated annual bill for a typical household (Ofgem typical consumption: 2,500 kWh of electricity and 9,500 kWh of gas a year), paying by monthly direct debit, before discounts, correct as of 22nd October 2026. National figures are averaged across Great Britain's 14 electricity regions - the exact price and tariff availability depend on where you live. Only tariffs available through energy comparison are shown; some suppliers also sell exclusive or existing-customer-only tariffs directly, which are not included. Dual fuel bills combine both fuels on one tariff; many suppliers only offer gas as part of a dual fuel deal, so the dual market is larger than the gas-only market. Dual exit fees are the sum of both fuels'. The standard variable benchmark is the Ofgem price cap for the current period (GB average) at the same typical consumption.

These are national averages refreshed every day, so the deals you see are current rather than a snapshot from when this guide was written. Your own quote will differ with your region and how much energy you use, which is why the comparison itself still starts with the details listed above.

The Energy Switch Guarantee

Many suppliers are signed up to the Energy Switch Guarantee, a voluntary commitment to provide a simple, speedy, and safe switching experience. Whilst the scheme is voluntary, Ofgem has now made many of its core principles legally binding for all suppliers, ensuring every customer is protected.

Key protections include:

• Your new supplier will handle the entire switch.

• Your energy supply will not be interrupted at any point.

• The switch will be completed within five working days.

• You have a 14-day cooling-off period to change your mind without penalty.

• You will not be charged twice for the same energy.

• You will receive a final bill from your old supplier no later than six weeks after the switch.

• Any credit on your old account will be refunded within 14 days of your final bill.

If your switch is delayed, you are entitled to compensation. Under Ofgem rules, if your new supplier fails to complete the switch within five working days, they must pay you £30 in automatic compensation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Switch Energy Supplier if I'm in Debt?

Yes, in many cases you can still switch even if you owe money to your current supplier. The rules depend on the type of meter you have and how long you’ve been in debt.

If you have a credit meter, you can switch as long as you have been in debt for 28 days or less. The outstanding balance will simply be added to your final bill from your old supplier. If you have been in debt for more than 28 days, you will need to repay it before you can switch.

If you have a prepayment meter, you can switch suppliers if you owe £500 or less for gas and £500 or less for electricity. Under the Debt Assignment Protocol (DAP), your debt is transferred to your new supplier, and you repay them instead.

How Long Does It Take to Switch Energy Supplier?

The switch itself is very quick. Once you sign up, your new supplier must complete the switch within five working days. This is separate from the 14-day cooling-off period, which runs from the moment you agree to the contract. This means your switch could be complete before your cooling-off period has even ended, but you still retain the right to cancel during those 14 days.

Can I Switch Energy Supplier if I'm a Tenant?

If your name is on the energy bill and you pay the supplier directly, you have the right to switch your energy provider at any time. It’s courteous to inform your landlord, but you don’t need their permission. You should always check your tenancy agreement for any specific clauses about energy supply.

If your landlord pays the energy bills and then charges you for energy, you cannot switch supplier yourself. However, you can ask your landlord to switch to a better deal. For more information, see our ‘A Renter’s Guide to Saving Energy’.

Ready to Find a Better Deal?

Switching your energy supplier is a simple and powerful way to take control of your household finances. With the process now faster and more secure than ever, there’s no reason to keep overpaying for your gas and electricity. In just a few minutes, you can compare deals from across the market and start the switch to a cheaper tariff.

Use the SwitchPal comparison tool to see how much you could save today.