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Clear Utility Solutions – how they can help with your energy bills! 28/02/2023

Clear Utility Solutions partners with DALC to help our members with their energy bills – read their update on the energy market and how can they help your council.

Clear Utility Solutions have been working hard to help the members of DALC with their energy bills and are pleased to report the below highlights of the Scheme Partnership to date:

  • 14 Town or Parish Councils have enquired and taken up our services
  • We have saved an average of £1,346 annually per council
  • Understanding of processes within the Council world – price change, scheduled council meetings, part time working hours

 UK Energy is a hot topic at the moment especially within the commercial sector, we have found that when dealing with councils nationally – 30% are sitting on an inflated tariff, now more than ever our advice would be to check your energy bills, we are on hand to assist via our DALC partnership online portal or via telephone 0333 344 7749 (local rate).

Energy has become a permanent feature of our news over the last year whilst wholesale prices have rocketed but the good news is that it seems likely the worst is behind us and once again, there is a choice of comparatively good tariffs on the market if you know where to look. And although energy prices fluctuate and suppliers can increase and decrease their tariffs seemingly at random, good deals can now generally always be found.

The UK wholesale market has decreased markedly in the last six weeks and despite the cold weather continuing and news of snow on the way for parts of the UK in March, the wholesale markets are still below the levels they were at before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last February which is great news.

The ongoing downward trend and stability in global energy prices has seen the return of competition in the domestic energy market and in some cases, commercial tariffs are now cheaper than their domestic alternatives. Wholesale prices have also been below the minimum amount set by Department for Business Energy & Industrial Strategy for the whole of February for its Energy Bill Relief Scheme and also the replacement EBDS which is great news.

Now the outlook has stabilised and further reductions are less likely, longer term contracts at acceptable rates have also made a return to suppliers’ offerings and they are similar in price to shorter term contracts making them more attractive than they have been for much of last year.

Whilst cheaper energy prices means we can all breathe a sigh of relief, we mustn’t let our guard down. As many as thirty percent of the customers the team at Clear Utility Solutions speak to every day are now on an out of contract or variable tariff and this is a huge uptick on what we have seen previously. Being on a variable tariff made sense when prices were rising quickly as these types of tariff were often cheaper and a far better option than fixing on higher rates. Now prices have recovered somewhat, it is incredibly important to check what tariff you are on as you may be able to save 40 or 50 percent on your current bill. Some suppliers make this information very clear such as British Gas who include your contractual information in a blue box on page one of their bill but other suppliers are less forthcoming. If you at all unsure, please get in touch and one of the team will be more than happy to take a look for you.

 The team at Clear Utility Solutions has been as busy as ever working to secure the best possible prices from our panel of suppliers for DevonALC members and continues to offer our best advice on all energy and water contracts so please give us a call on 0333 344 7749 or visit our Devon ALC portal.


Read more about our partnership with Clear Utility Solutions and how they can help your council.