Many Brits have been contacted by their energy suppliers this week over a price change on their bills that will start in the new year.
Some providers are making changes to their prices per unit from January 1, according to the BBC. However, customers are urged not to worry as the difference are likely to add pennies not pounds to people’s energy bills.
News of possible price changes in 2023 sparked concern among customers, after a year of spiralling energy bills amid the wider cost of living crisis.
Currently, the average household bill is still set to be capped at £2,500, but it’s the charge per unit of gas and electricity that’s being updated.
The government’s Energy Price Guarantee ensures the average customer on a standard variable tariff will pay 34p per kilowatt hour (kWh) for electricity and 10.3p per kWh for gas.
But, these vary depending on which of the 14 energy “regions” of Britain you live in and how you pay – whether by standard billing, by direct debit, or on a prepay meter.
The Energy Price Guarantee rates will be updated by the government from January 1, allowing companies to make minuscule changes that will affect nearly every customer’s bill.
Of the 14 energy regions across Britain, 12 will be affected by the changes. However, these changes will total only fractions of a penny, so customers are being told not to be panic if they receive an email discussing a new price.
Scottish Power, Bulb, EDF, British Gas and Shell all told the BBC that they would be passing on the changes allowed by the government in full to customers.
However, Octopus, which recently acquired Bulb customers when the compay when into administration, shared it would pass on cuts, but not rises, to customers, absorbing any increases except for its “Economy 7” customers.
Meanwhile, EOn will make changes for direct debit and billed customers, but not for prepayment customers.