The final quarter of 2011 has been filled with news of the rising number of Britons heading for "fuel poverty". Fuel poverty is a term which signifies that over 10% of your income is spent on energy and it's affecting more people each quarter.

Energy prices are also rising. British Gas announced a price rise of an average 18% on gash and 16% on electricity, which took place 18th August 2011. EDF are set to announce price rises of an average of 15.4% on gas and 4.5% on electricity, which will take effect from 10th November 2011. Energy companies claim that these price rises can be attributed to higher wholesale costs on fuel. Ofgem has conducted a study into the truth behind this suggestion and found that profit margins for energy suppliers have risen by 38% in the last three months. Whether or not the providers are telling the truth, these costs are going up. Can these rises be negated by switching providers? USwitch suggests that saving could save you up to £420 on energy bills by switching to a fixed rate tariff.

Switching providers can offer consumers with a wide variety of choice in their energy consumption plans, tailored specifically to them. Fixed rate tariffs can also be used to freeze energy prices for up to four years. This is one of the only ways to be sure that your energy prices will not change for a set time. Very few consumers will find that they cannot save money by switching tariff or provider. According to uSwitch, if you are with British Gas, ScottishPower, SSE, NPower, EDF or E.ON and you're not on a fixed price tariff, this means that your bills will be going up. Keep a record of your fuel bills and find out how your bills will go up in 12 months by using a price comparison site.

When your energy supplier notifies you of a change in your price structure, you can also reject these changes before switching to a cheaper plan. Writing a letter within 20 days of your price rise notification will allow you to switch energy plans without paying excess. Rejecting changes to your price change can save you the hassle of having to pay an increased rate on your Winter fuel bills.

Saving money by using energy-efficient products can also save you a packet. Solar powered lights, standby plug sockets, even water powered shower radios can help cut your energy costs through Winter. Combined with proper insulation in your home and a frugal attitude towards fuel consumption, you can avoid going into fuel poverty this Winter. For information on how to switch energy providers, visit a price comparison site.

About the Author

Rachel Barker

Rachel Barker, an accountant who switched to online banking four years ago and has never looked back.