Only FIVE energy tariffs left under £1,000/yr on average as cheap deals vanish

Three of these deals, from suppliers Outfox the Market, People's Energy and Pure Planet, are variable tariffs, which means there's a risk they could rise at any time. Meanwhile, the other offerings from Avro and Toto are fixed for 12 months –  although we've seen reports of poor customer service from Toto.

This continues the trend of a sharp decline in the number of available cheaper tariffs that MSE first identified earlier this year.

MSE research shows that at the start of September there were 21 tariffs available for less than £1,000/year. In the two months since then, 17 of these have either seen price increases or have been withdrawn.

Switching energy is still the best way to cut bills – with the cheapest deals still over £200/yr under the incoming energy price cap. To find the best deal for you, use our .

Which tariffs are available for under £1,000 per year?

Since the start of September we've also seen:

• The cost of the cheapest one-year fix jump by £49/yr to £980/yr.

• The cheapest provider at the time, Outfox the Market, has raised its prices by £128 to £987/yr – including a £65 rise this week.

• The cheapest variable tariff is now only £300/yr cheaper than the average cost of the big six suppliers' standard variable tariffs (£1,221) – compared to a £362 discount found in September.

Supplier costs and Ofgem's price cap

Suppliers are being squeezed by a combination of rising wholesale costs – the price energy suppliers pay for gas and electricity – and watchdog Ofgem's energy price cap, which will come into force on 1 January. The cap means a typical user on these tariffs paying by monthly direct debit will pay no more than £1,137/year on average.

But MoneySavingExpert founder Martin Lewis has stressed the £1,137/yr figure is NOT a cap on the price you pay, rather it's a cap on the rates that will be charged.

The cap depends on usage, so that figure is indicative of someone with TYPICAL usage. Someone with higher usage would see a higher cap, use less and your cap will be lower. 

Ofgem has previously warned that the price cap could lead to reduced energy switching, as the gap in price between standard tariffs and the cheapest on the market shrinks – leading to lower financial incentives to switch energy.