Millions switched energy supplier last year

According to recent figures released by Ofgem, a huge number of consumers in the UK decided to switch their energy supplier last year compared to the previous year. Consumers are becoming far more savvy with regards to the savings that they can make through switching certain providers, and this has been made easier with a number of price comparison websites such as uswitch, which calculates which will be the cheapest provider based on the circumstances of the individual.

The Ofgem figures show that over four million people decided to switch energy providers in 2006, which was around three quarters of a million higher than in 2005. Many people switches as a result of rising energy prices, which hit sky high levels in 2006, and others decided to switch due to poor customers service, or even a combination of the two. Customers have found it increasingly easy to find cheaper suppliers online, and switch over with minimal hassle or inconvenience.

One Ofgem official stated: 'Energy customers have given expensive suppliers the boot with over four million moving to a cheaper supplier in the first ten months of 2006. 'This dynamic market is most dramatically illustrated by British Gas seeing their share of the household gas market fall below 50% for the first time.'

A campaign spokesman added: 'This high level of switching activity is welcome, but in part it is down to consumers desperately taking evasive action to find cheaper energy deals. Energywatch, along with consumers, wants to see prices fall with people motivated to switch by lower prices in a falling market, rather than being driven to switching in order to escape ever-increasing bills.'