How to switch electricity retailers

No. Nothing physical changes at your home. The poles, wires and meter stay exactly the same, so there is no interruption to your supply at any point. Only the company that bills you changes.

No. The new retailer arranges the transfer and your old account is closed automatically once the switch completes. You will get a final bill from the old retailer for power used up to the switch date.

The switch usually happens at your next scheduled meter read, or within a couple of days if you have a smart meter. A 10-business-day cooling-off period applies first, during which you can cancel without penalty.

Most market offers have no exit fee, but a few older or fixed-benefit plans do, so confirm on your current contract before you sign. If in doubt, ask your current retailer whether any charge applies to close the account.

Very little. Your supply and reliability are unchanged, there is a cooling-off period, and you can switch again later if the new plan does not suit. The main thing to check is that you are comparing on your real usage, not a headline rate.

At least once a year, and any time your bill jumps or a 12-month benefit period ends. Prices move constantly, so a plan that was competitive last year often is not now. See how often you should switch energy plans.

Yes. If the electricity account is in your name and you pay the retailer directly, you can choose your own plan like any homeowner. The exception is an embedded network, where you may be locked to one supplier.

Your new retailer sets its own feed-in rate, so compare it carefully, because a lower usage rate can be wiped out by a worse feed-in credit for a high-export home. Costing both the usage rate and the feed-in rate against your real export is the only way to see the true winner.

Moving is a separate process: you set up a connection at the new address rather than transferring in place, and it is a natural moment to pick the best plan for the new home. See connecting electricity when moving house.

Compare the whole market on your own bill, not a shortlist of advertised offers. EnergySorted costs every plan on your real usage and takes zero retailer commission, so the ranking is not skewed toward whoever pays a referral fee. Our guide to finding the best electricity retailer covers what to weigh up.

Occasionally, for example if you have an unpaid debt with the new retailer or the plan is membership-only or online-only and you do not qualify. Standard market offers rarely refuse a customer with a clean payment history.