Smaller suppliers are still offering better deals than the big six

Smaller suppliers have consistently provided cheaper energy deals to customers than the big six energy companies have over the last six months, analysis by MoneySuperMarket has shown.

The big six have made higher cuts to their best deals, up to £189 over the last six months, but smaller suppliers’ tariffs remain cheaper, as they were six months ago, MoneySuperMarket said.

The cheapest tariff is currently being offered by Extra Energy and would cost the average customer £958 a year.

The analysis shows that four of the big six cut their prices over the last six months with only SSE and British Gas failing to lower the price of their cheapest tariff. Instead they increased the price, with British Gas adding £137 to its tariff.

Co-operative Energy was shown by MoneySuperMarket to have lowered the price of its top tariff by the most over the last six months, a reduction of £174, or 15 per cent, to £1,008.

MoneySuperMarket’s energy expert, Stephen Murray said: “While it is good to see the cost of energy finally falling, providers should play fair and pass on the saving on standard tariffs in order to help hard-pressed households just as we head into the most costly period for energy usage.”

“Six months ago only one supplier was offering a tariff with an average bill sub £1,000, but now there are five, with a further three only just over that threshold.”