Quick wins
What your bill actually means
Energy bills are written by people who work in energy, for people who work in energy. Here's the same information in the way a normal person would say it.
Unit rate
What one unit of electricity or gas costs you — a kilowatt hour, or kWh. Boiling the kettle ten times is roughly one unit. In NI this is usually shown in pence per kWh.
Standing charge
A daily fee just for being connected, whether you use anything or not. It's why a deal with a lovely low unit rate can still work out dearer. Always compare the yearly total, not the headline rate.
Estimated vs actual read
If your bill says 'E' or 'estimated', the supplier guessed. Send a real reading and you'll only pay for what you used — sometimes that's an instant refund.
Day and night rates
Economy 7 and similar meters charge less overnight. Worth having if you run storage heaters, charge a car or run the washing machine late — expensive if you don't.
Discount vs credit
A percentage discount comes off every unit for as long as it lasts. A welcome credit is a one-off lump sum that flatters year one and then disappears. We always show you both the first-year cost and what it settles at afterwards.
If you ask us
Find the yearly kWh figure on your bill and keep it in your phone. It makes every future comparison accurate in seconds.
Using less helps. Paying less per unit helps more.
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