Home energy

The maximum amount of compensation given to households and businesses that lose electricity power as a result of severe weather has increased from £700 to £2,000, as part of a raft of new measures announced by energy regulator Ofgem. 

Some Ovo customers with a smart meter can now earn £10 a month in bill credit by lowering their energy usage during peak times. If you can get it, it's a no brainer – but you should still consider and keep an eye out for cheaper fixed deals, as they could save you more money in the long term.

British Gas is offering some customers with a smart meter half-price electricity on Sundays this summer as part of its 'PeakSave' scheme. It's a no-brainer perk for those who can get it – but you should still consider and keep an eye out for cheaper fixed deals, as they could save you more in the long term.

The price households pay for energy "will drop considerably" in July, the energy regulator has confirmed to MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis on ITV's Good Morning Britain. It comes ahead of next week's Ofgem announcement on the new Price Cap rate from 1 July, which is predicted to fall below the Government's current Energy Price Guarantee.

Four energy firms – E.on Next, Good Energy, Octopus Energy and Ovo Energy – have paid millions in compensation to households. It comes after some of the firms failed to provide final bills on time, while some charged some users more than the maximum rates allowed.

Around 18,000 Good Energy and Ovo Energy customers have been, or are to be, refunded and offered compensation after the energy firms were found to have charged some users more than the maximum rates allowed. 

Energy suppliers have been permanently banned from fitting prepayment meters into the homes of over-85s and those with chronic illnesses under a new code of practice. Firms also need to prove they meet the industry regulator's new code before restarting forced installations, plus they must now visit each home they plan to install meters into in advance.   

Energy bills are rising for many this month despite the postponement of a 20% planned price increase in April. This is largely due to two reasons; firstly, the Government's £66 or £67 monthly support payments have stopped, and secondly, some suppliers are also reviewing direct debit levels at the same time. Here’s what you need to know.

More households using heating oil, LPG, biomass and other alternative fuels can now apply for £200 to help with their energy bills. That's because the Government has confirmed it will now accept receipts dating back to 1 June 2022 as evidence – a three-month extension on the previous September 2022 cut-off.

Many British Gas smart meter customers say they are still unable to track their energy usage, with some complaining they've been unable to check consumption regularly on the firm's app, website and in-house display for over a year. So if you're looking to monitor and cut your usage, you'll need to do this manually by taking meter readings yourself.