Frequently Asked Questions

The following frequently asked questions provide an overview of how the industry works and how easy it is to change supplier. Should you require any further information or want an answer to a specific energy related question please email regulation@energylinx.co.uk who will endeavour to answer any question you may have.

What happened in the Gas and Electricity Markets?
As a result of Government legislation it has been possible for the domestic consumer to switch gas supplier since April 1996 and electricity supplier since September 1998.

From what had effectively been a closed market open to only 14 electricity companies and 2 gas companies there are now some 60 suppliers of gas and electricity to the domestic consumer.

It is currently estimated by OFGEM that up to 160,000 consumers change supplier each week.

The usual reasons for switching supplier are to save money, to purchase a green product or to receive an improved level of customer service.

Ofgem is the regulator for Britain's gas and electricity industries. Its role is to protect and advance the interests of consumers by promoting competition where possible, and through regulation only where necessary. Applying this principle has resulted in great benefits for all gas and electricity customers. You will find a link to OFGEM here Ofgem.gov.uk

energywatch was set up by the Utilities Act (2000) to be an advocate for consumers in the gas and electricity markets, it acts as the independent gas and electricity consumer watchdog. They are here to help you with whatever consumer issue you have regarding the gas and electricity industry. You will find a link to ENERGYWATCH on our EnergyWatch.org.uk

Energylinx is an entirely independent neutral intermediary. We offer our services entirely free of charge and without any commitment, allowing you to discover the very best deals available for the supply of gas and electricity to your home.

We have an ever growing reference section on Energy Efficiency and we would encourage you to bookmark those pages for future reference.

Savings as much as £150 per annum can be obtained by selecting a supplier other than your first tier supplier. On average Energylinx customers have saved £135 per annum by using our services.

You also have the opportunity to purchase energy generated entirely or partly from green sources.

With nearly 60 different suppliers it would be difficult to obtain information relating to all their tariffs or for that matter analyse them. Energylinx offers you the opportunity, free of charge, to find the very best available deal for your home, based on your own personal circumstances, by analysing every supplier in the UK.

All of this occurs by inputting a few basic pieces of information into one of our calculators, Energylinx then presents you with the top 20 suppliers based on your requirements.

To change supplier it is then a simple case of accepting one of the quotes provided.

1. First select one of our calculators, electricity only, gas only or dual fuel.

2. Input the basic information requested.

3. Review the results presented against your current supplier and from those listed.

4. You can either save the information by setting up your own secure personal account or proceed to change supplier by selecting the supplier of your choice.

5. You will then enter the secure area where you will be asked to input personal information and your meter identification numbers (either MPAN for electricity or MPR for gas). These can be found on your existing bills – see our FAQs on Meter Identification.

6. After completion of the required fields, you will be presented with a summary document, where you will be asked to enter your email address again – this time as an electronic signature confirming your acceptance and request to proceed with transfer.

7. It is advisable to contact your existing supplier to advise them that you are in the process of changing supplier, Energylinx can carry this out your behalf and a request for us to do so is included in the final screen. Your existing supplier may contact you to try to change your mind, although we have not heard of any additional incentives being offered to stay put.

8. Your new supplier will write to you confirming that you are now a customer of theirs and welcoming you. From the date of changing supplier it can take as long as 35 days and it is not likely that you will hear from the new supplier until a minimum of 10 days has passed from confirming the change. In the meantime Energylinx will have contacted you providing further details of your requested change of supplier, their terms and conditions.

It can take as long as 35 days from the date you arranged to change supplier until you are actually being supplied by them.

There is no requirement to do so, Energylinx nevertheless recommend that you do. In the final transfer pages you will find a request for Energylinx to do so on your behalf.

On occasions an existing supplier may contact you to change your mind, although to date we have never heard of anyone being offered a better deal as domestic tariffs are usually fixed.

In the majority of cases the transfer is entirely seamless. And from a regulatory viewpoint both OFGEM and Energywatch keep a close check on this.

Not at all. The pipes, cables and meters you currently have will stay exactly the same.

Energylinx does not charge you for the use of our services. They are offered on a free of charge basis.

Some suppliers pay Energylinx a referral fee. The payment of this fee does not affect their positioning or inclusion in our calculators.

Please note that, our service to you is free of charge. We do not actually collect any payments through our web site, nor do we enter into a contract with you, save as per our terms and conditions.

We appreciate your custom and encourage you to switch to your new supplier through the links on our web site.

All the information contained within our databases is current information. Historic, or non-available, tariffs are not included.

Whilst some suppliers apply charges for late payments, these are not taken into account by our calculators and we assume that payments are made on the due date.

VAT is currently charged at 5% on home energy bills. Our calculators take this into account and all prices provided include this.

One aspect to consider when changing supplier is customer service. Whilst the level of customer service from the suppliers will not affect the actual supplies of gas or electricity to your home they will affect how the supplier interacts with you as a client.

Energylinx, Energywatch and Ofgem are all keen to promote the requirements of higher levels of customer service throughout the industry. You will find further details of current levels on the menu link to Supplier Standards.

Although some suppliers offer additional non-cash incentives these are not taken into account by our calculators, they are of course listed for your information.

MPAN stands for Metering Point Administration Number. It provides a unique identity reference number for the meter and provides other information as follows:

How can I tell what Region my meter is in?
If you look at the grid above, you can see the first box on the second line is called "Distributor Identifier". The numbers in this box identify the Region you are in as follows:

Note that when your postcode is on the edge of a region, it is important to check that you are using the correct region for the comparison calculations as the prices vary from region to region and some postcode areas straddle regions .

GAS SUPPLY – If you do not have a bill or cannot see it the information on a recent bill, call Transco’s Meter Helpline on 0870 608 1524 and ask them for your MPRN number and name of your registered supplier if it not shown or your recent gas accounts.

ELECTRICITY SUPPLY – Again the first step is look at a recent electricity bill, if it not clear what your MPAN (Meter Point Administration Number) call your local electricity distribution company. You should ask for their Meter Point Administration Service (MPAS). If you are not sure who your local electricity distribution company is, contact Energylinx

When we talk about meter numbers, we actually mean in the case of electricity your MPAN number and in the case of gas your MPRN number. These are not the numbers printed on your actual gas or electricity meters, rather they are effectively your unique supplier reference numbers.

The first place to look for your MPAN number is your most recent electricity bill, where you will find it printed. If you do not have a bill then the best idea is to contact your electricity distribution company. This is not necessarily your current supplier.

If you look at our UK Generation Map you will be able to find out who your local distribution company is by hovering over your location and clicking to check that your postcode is included. If you call them and ask for the Metering Point Administration department, they will tell you what your Supply Number is.

You can obtain the local distribution company’s telephone number either from the local telephone directory or from directory enquiries, or you can email MPAN@energylinx.co.uk and by providing us with your postcode we can email their telephone number.

The number that you will be provided is either the full 21 digit number or the 13 digit part number. Either will be acceptable to allow you to change supplier.

The first place to look for your MPRN number us your most gas bill, where you will find it printed. If you do not have a bill you can call Transco’s Meter Helpline on 0870 608 1524 and ask them for your MPRN number.