New Tariff from First Utility

First Utility Launches iSave v12

First Utility removed its iSave v11 from the market this week, and announced the launch of its latest tariff, the iSave v12.

The only major change between the two tariffs is that - unlike its predecessor - the iSave v12 does not feature a dual fuel discount. There have been no changes to the standard terms and conditions.

The iSave v12 is a dual fuel, single rate tariff, and must be paid via monthly Direct Debit. Online billing is preferable, although paper billing is available at an additional charge of £1 per month. Customers choosing to participate in this latest tariff are to be billed using estimates based upon estimated annual consumption (EAC) for electricity and the Annual Quantity (AQ) for gas as given to First Utility by the customers' former suppliers - unless said customers opt to supply opening meter reads. Each customer will have the ability to submit monthly meter reads via our customer portal and will be prompted to do so by email.

Unlike many dual fuel tariffs, there are no early exit fees associated with this product after the initial fixed price period of 3 months. If customers with to switch product or supplier within this initial 3 month period, however, a termination fee of £30 per fuel applies.

New Eon Energy Plans

ENERGYLINX: E.ON Energy has announced a major upheaval in its tariff structure by launching its new Best Deal for You range.

Falling in line with E.ON's recent reset on customer relations, the supplier's Best Deal for You product set was crafted to "rebuild customer trust through simple, clear and transparent offerings." In order to do this, E.ON chose to remove a whopping 8 tariffs from the market:

• Age UK
• Age UK Fixed Price April 2014
• E.ON Energy Discount 2013
• E.ON Energy Online
• E.ON Fixed Price April 2014
• E.ON Go Gre
• E.ON Save Online 12
• E.ON Track & Save 14

As part of its new product set, E.ON has replaced said tariffs with five core 'build your own' tariffs, as well as two prepayment tariffs. As with the supplier's former plans, all products within the Best Deal for You range vary relatively based upon pre-existing terms and conditions; however, all new tariffs illustrate E.ON's desire to move the industry from a market of instant discount rewards to one of higher-value, behaviour-based rewards.

In particular, said behaviour-based rewards include loyalty discounts, prompt pay discounts and Tesco Club Card Points. Such discounts and rewards can be customised based upon the needs of the customer on all non-standard tariffs, and E.ON has also introduced a standing charge to replace secondary rates.

The Best Deal for You range is composed of the following tariffs:

• E.ON EnergyPlan is a single or dual fuel variable rate tariff with no standing charge and no cancellation fees. The EnergyPlan features no rewards, but boasts potential discounts for Direct Debit, Prompt Pay and dual fuel customers. Tesco Points are earned based upon the amount otherwise spent.
• E.ON Energy Discount is a single or dual fuel variable rate tariff that features a standing charge and a single unit rate, as well as potentially applicable early exit fees. The tariff boats discounts for Direct Debit and Prompt Pay customers, a loyalty discount and rewards for dual fuel and online account management.
• E.ON Energy Fixed 1 Year is a fixed-rate tariff available in dual fuel or electric-only. Similar to E.ON's Energy Discount, the Energy Fixed 1 Year features all the same primary discounts and rewards as the former - the only major distinction being that the rates of the Energy Fixed 1 Year will not change for the duration of contract.
• E.ON Energy Fixed 2 Year is also a single electric or dual fuel fixed rate tariff. It provides discounts for Direct Debit and Prompt Pay customers, as well as dual fuel, online account management and loyalty rewards. The Fixed 2 Year maintains both a standing charge and single unit rate, and IGT charges are not applied.
• Age UK Fixed 1 Year is a dual fuel or electric-only fixed rate tariff that is available only to over-60s. The tariff includes Age UK Winter Payments - £10 for those aged over 60, and £20 for those aged over 80 - as well as the same discounts and rewards associated with E.ON's Energy Fixed 1 Year and 2 Year tariffs. The Age UK Fixed 1 Year plan cannot earn Tesco points, but features no cancellation fees.

In addition, E.ON's Best Deal for You range also features two prepayment products:

• E.ON EnergyPlan with Prepayment is a variable rate tariff available to dual fuel or electric-only customers. It features no standing charge on gas, but does have a standing charge for electricity. The tariff does not maintain any of the discounts offered by E.ON's new credit tariffs; however, there is not cancelation fee, and customers can earn Tesco Club Card points based upon what they spend on energy.
• E.ON Prepayment Reward is the final offering from E.ON's Best Deal for You range, and is a variable rate tariff available for dual fuel or existing single electricity customers only. The plan features no annual discounts; however, rewards are offer for dual fuel, and loyalty customers. In addition, Prepayment Reward participants can also choose to collect a product reward in the form of either Tesco Club Card Points or credit top-ups for their electricity meter. The tariff features a standing charge on electricity, as well as a cancellation fee.

If you would like to learn more about the rewards and terms and conditions associated with E.ON's new range of Best Deal for You products - or simply to find out whether any of these energy plans may be the cheapest deal for your home - For the cheapest energy bills check our comparison site

Misinformation in Energy Prices

More Misinformation in Energy Prices

ENERGYLINX: As energy prices continue to fluctuate, customers should be disappointed to know that several accredited organisations continue to supply misinformation to their customers.

Following last month's price hike by Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE), a string of energy comparison sites and consumer welfare groups - many of which boast accreditation by watchdog Consumer Focus - have published numerous reports regarding the removal of certain tariffs, and made claims of which energy tariffs offer customers the best deal for their homes; however, many of these assertions are blatantly false.

For the last several weeks, the cheapest deal on the market has been Spark Energy's Tenant Direct tariff - a variable rate, single or dual fuel tariff that charges customers a nationwide average of £1,005.57 per year*. Meanwhile, numerous accredited sources - ranging from comparison sites to newspapers - have completely disregarded the UK's most affordable energy tariff by instead choosing to advertise more expensive plans as the 'nation's cheapest.'

Such false claims include the assertion that Sainsbury's Energy's Online Variable September 2013 is the UK's cheapest energy tariff, with an average cost of £1,070 per year. Other sites have asserted that ScottishPower's Online Fixed Price Energy January 2014 was the nation's 'market-leading' tariff at £1,052 per year. Prior to this false report, the same source claimed that First Utility's iSave Fixed v3 plan had been the UK's cheapest energy tariff at £1,040 per year, and that its successor was OVO Energy's New Energy Fixed, coming in at £1,088 a year - all the while, Spark Energy continued to offer customers a variable rate tariff at just £1,005.57 per year.

These blatant inaccuracies and knowing delivery of misinformation by accredited sources of information does not only perpetuate consumer confusion towards the UK's energy market, but should also be considered as embarrassment and betrayal of the general public. These oversights may be due in part to the fact that not all comparison sites have relationships with every energy supplier - and accordingly, fail to openly advertise the cheaper tariffs of so-called 'competitors'; however, this shameful and misleading practice must stop.

Energylinx has zero stake in Spark Energy; however, unlike other accredited comparison services, would never knowingly mislead energy customers so as to steer them towards a more expensive energy plan. Energylinx prides itself on maintaining reliability as a 100% impartial source, and will always provide its customers with the cheapest energy tariffs available - regardless of the false claims that other sites may report.

* These costs are based on the average of ALL distribution areas based on a standard user consuming 3,300 kWhs of electricity and 16,500 kWhs of gas per annum paying by monthly direct debit.