The latest electricity switching figures show a record number of customers moved from a small or mid-tier suppliers to one of the bigger providers last month.
The data from Energy UK still shows a net gain for small/mid-tier suppliers of 18 per cent across the month but this was down six percentage points (pp) on August and 13pp on last September.
Overall 603,400 customers switched electricity supplier in September and of these 93,000 moved from small/mid to large, with 204,344 going in the opposite direction.
This was the highest number of customers moving to the large suppliers since Energy UK began recording the data. In percentage terms it amounted to 16 per cent of switches, compared to 12 per cent in August and 11 per cent last September. The percentage of customers switching from small/mid to large was also 16 per cent in July and June but every other month in 2019 it has been lower.
In total, there have been 4.7 million switches this year – up 11 per cent on the same time last year when a record 5.8 million customers switched supplier.
Lawrence Slade, chief executive at Energy UK said: “Last month alone over 600,000 customers switched – and with over 4.7 million customers moving to a new supplier so far, 2019 is set to be another record year for switching. It is brilliant to see that every month more and more consumers reap the benefits of increased competition.
“Customers, whatever their circumstances, can benefit from checking their tariff so if you’re concerned about your bill going into winter, pick up the phone to your supplier and see if you’re on the best deal – or have a look at what other offers are available in the market.
“Just as importantly consumers can save more on their energy bills by getting a smart meter and making their house more energy efficient, which will also reduce their carbon footprint and help tackle climate change.”