Clare Casalis

Senior Energy & Utilities Analyst

Clare joined MSE in September 2021 after a career as a chartered accountant. She started out as a writer on MSE's Money team, exploring everything from student loans to pensions, before moving across to the Energy and Utilities team in November 2022.

As Senior Energy and Utilities Analyst, Clare is responsible for the quarterly Price Cap updates to our guides, and the daily updates to our popular Should I fix my energy? guide, which explains if it's worth fixing your energy tariff, as well showing the current energy deals available. Clare also helps out on the Cheap Energy Club.

Clare has written several new guides, including Heat pumps explained, Is solar battery storage worth it?, How to switch your energy and, most recently, Winter Fuel Payments.

Outside of work, Clare's passionate about travel and embarks on global adventures with her family as often as she can (on a budget of course!). She also loves running and yoga to keep a healthy body and mind.

Latest from Clare Casalis

eSims have been around for more than a decade, but it's only recently they've become more widely available in the UK. Yet most UK firms still don't fully support them. Where they really shine is if you're planning a trip abroad. We take you through what an eSim is, how you can get one and whether it'll save you any money below – plus how to install one on an iPhone or Android mobile.

2 September 2025

Two wooden blocks are on a table – one with a lightbulb painted on it and one with a gas flame painted on it. Standing next to them is a piggybank.

27 August 2025

Having children is expensive – the first year alone could reportedly cost a family in the UK an average of £6,000. But some parents can get a maternity grant worth at least £500 from the Government, no strings attached, to help with the cost. Plus, you may also qualify for help towards the cost of your food bill.

12 August 2025

Whether you're a global jet-setter, or just like taking the odd holiday, this guide will show you how to use your mobile phone abroad as cheaply as possible (and how to avoid racking up a huge bill).

15 July 2025

A solar battery allows you to store electricity produced by your solar panels and use it later or, in some cases, sell it back to the grid to make a few quid – but they're not cheap. Read on to see if it's worth getting a solar storage battery for your home...

10 July 2025

1 July 2025

If you have a complaint about your energy firm, it may be resolved more quickly in future, as the Government has announced a raft of proposals to strengthen consumer protections in the energy market. The planned changes include giving the Energy Ombudsman new powers to force firms to comply with its decisions – but it's still very early days. Here's what we know so far.

19 June 2025

Around 2.7 million more low-income households, including 900,000 families with children, will become eligible for the £150 Warm Home Discount this winter, as the Government has confirmed it will remove the existing 'hard to heat' eligibility criteria. The extension has only been confirmed for winter 2025/26, with further changes possible for future years.

19 June 2025

If you had an energy prepayment meter forcibly installed or your smart meter was remotely switched to prepay mode without your permission, you could be entitled to compensation of up to £1,000 and may even be eligible to have your energy debts written off.

30 May 2025

Image of a piggy bank next to two bricks - one with a light bulb painted on it and one with a flame on it.

The price most households pay for gas and electricity will fall by 7% on average from 1 July 2025 as energy regulator Ofgem has announced the latest Energy Price Cap rates. How much you'll pay under the new cap depends on how much energy you use and where you live.

23 May 2025

hero-banner-flight-planes-clouds-blue-sky

When you book a flight departing the UK, your ticket price will include various fees, such as airport tax. However, this isn't collected by HM Revenue & Customs from the airline until after you actually fly. If you don't fly – even by choice – you shouldn't have to pay the tax. This guide explains how to claim a refund for Air Passenger Duty (APD) if you cancel a non-refundable ticket or miss a flight.

16 May 2025

You don't have to take your state pension when you hit state pension age, currently age 66. If you defer it, you'll get paid a higher amount when you do decide to claim – up to 5.8% a year more in fact. But you'll receive it for a shorter time. Whether it adds up for you will depend on how long you are likely to live and your income, so here's what you need to consider.

7 April 2025

Maternity and paternity leave: your rights and pay

When you're having a baby there's a lot to prepare for – as well as nappy changes and night feeds, you have to get your head around the rights that you and your partner (if you have one) have at work. Whether you or your partner is pregnant, you're using a surrogate or adopting, this guide explains what you're entitled to before having a baby, during leave and beyond.

7 April 2025

Rebel Energy has gone under. If you're one of its 84,000 household customers, your supply won't be affected and any credit balance you had with the firm will be protected – but you should take a meter reading now. Here's what you need to know.

7 April 2025

For the millions of people automatically enrolled into a workplace pension, the minimum amount you have to pay in went up in April 2019. But what your employer has to contribute increased too – effectively a hidden pay rise for many. Here's the lowdown on pension auto-enrolment.

30 January 2025

White insulating material being applied to external wall of building

Government-backed energy-efficiency measures intended to keep your home warm and lower your bills could instead be putting your property at risk of damp, mould and other serious issues. It comes after an independent body uncovered "widespread cases of poor quality" solid wall insulation fitted since 2022.

28 January 2025