What is a dual fuel energy tariff?

If you want to cut the cost of your energy bills, it sometimes pays to get your gas and electricity from the same supplier. Could you save money with a dual fuel energy deal?

What is a dual fuel tariff

A dual fuel energy tariff simply means the same energy supplier provides both your gas and electricity.

Although you can run an energy comparison to find cheap gas deals and cheap electricity deals from separate suppliers, some will offer dual fuel deals at a discounted rate to encourage you to take both your gas supply and electricity supply from them.

Compare the best dual fuel deals

The table below compares the best dual fuel deals on the market today. Simply click the 'Compare Prices' button to get a dual fuel energy quote tailored to your energy usage and location.

For comparison purposes, energy prices shown above are based on an average energy usage in the London region ONLY. Prices may vary depending on the region you live in. To see the best deals for where you are, run a comparison using our Ofgem approved energy switching tool.

Why switch to a dual fuel tariff?

Cost is usually the main reason people switch to a dual fuel deal - the discounted rate offered on these tariffs often makes them a more cost-effective option than getting your gas and electricity from separate energy suppliers.

There's also the added convenience to consider - because you're getting your gas and electricity from the same supplier, you only have one bill to worry about, instead of a separate gas and electricity bill. This can make your household budgeting much more straightforward.

Having one supplier for gas and electricity also means you can supply both meter readings at the same time. If taking meter readings causes you a headache each month, it might be worth getting a smart meter fitted, as this will automatically send a meter reading to your supplier and make sure you're always billed accurately.

Is dual fuel energy always cheaper?

No. Although dual fuel deals are often among the cheapest offered by suppliers, they're not necessarily always the cheapest option.

When you run a dual fuel comparison, it's always worth comparing gas prices and comparing electricity prices separately, to see if you could save more by taking out two single fuel deals.

But remember, switching energy supplier isn't just about getting the best energy deal, and you should always consider each supplier's customer satisfaction scores before signing up with them. Energy companies offer different levels of service, and it's not always the case that the bigger ones are the best - if you have a supplier you're happy with, it might be worth getting both fuels from them, for convenience and peace of mind.

What is the average dual fuel bill?

Figures from Ofgem, the energy regulator, put the cost of an average dual fuel bill at £104.50 per month, or £1,254 a year. It also found that the cheapest dual fuel plan on offer cost around £880 a year, or just £73 a month, which highlights the importance of shopping around for the best dual fuel deals.

A word of warning though - it can be difficult to accurately work out the average cost of a dual fuel energy tariff, largely because there are so many variables to consider - even if you base your workings on an average home, utility bills can vary due to things like the energy efficiency of the house, whereabouts in the country it's located and the number of people living in it.

That's why it helps to have as much information to hand when comparing energy prices, as the more accurate the information you give us, the more accurate our quotes will be.

Are there any additional benefits of a dual fuel tariff?

Although getting cheaper rates is the main benefit of a dual fuel tariff, getting your household gas and electricity from the same supplier can also offer the following benefits:

• Less hassle - As you're getting your gas and electricity from one supplier, this means you'll only need to worry about one bill, which can make your monthly budgeting a lot simpler.
• One point of contact - If you have any billing issues or problems with your supply, you'll only have to deal with one company. It also helps to choose a supplier with great customer satisfaction scores.
• One meter for both fuels - There's no need to get new meters installed when switching to a dual fuel tariff, but if you take up your suppliers offer of a smart meter, you'll only need one meter for both gas and electricity.
• Simple energy switching - If you only have one supplier, this can make the switching process simpler and quicker.

How easy is it to switch to a dual fuel tariff?

Switching to a dual fuel deal is really simple.

To start an energy price comparison and compare the best dual fuel deals with us, we just need your house number and postcode. We then just need a few more details about your current energy deal and we'll instantly compare energy deals from a range of suppliers to find the cheapest deal in your area.

All you need to do is choose the deal you like best, and we'll take care of the rest - you'll be with your new supplier and saving money within 21 days. There'll be no disruption to your supply - it's just the provider that changes, and your gas and electricity is supplied through the existing pipes and cables.

If you're thinking of switching suppliers, look out for any early exit fees that could be attached to your current deal, and always offset this cost against any savings you could make. And remember, once your deal has 49 days or less left on it, you can switch supplier without incurring any penalty fee.

We have helped more than 4 million UK homes save hundreds of pounds on their gas and electricity. See how much you can save with our energy comparison tool which is authorised and regulated by Ofgem.