Prepayment meters can be a useful way to budget for energy, especially if you are on a low income or your income goes up and down a lot. However, they are usually the most expensive way to pay for your energy. A prepayment meter allows you to pay as you go for energy. You pay using a token, key or smart card which you charge up at local stores. If you don't recharge your token, key or card, you'll run out of energy. You also need to bear in mind that you may have to pay transport costs to get to the nearest charging point, and remember that if you can’t afford to buy tokens or re-charge your key, you won’t have any energy. Think about the benefits and drawbacks to decide whether a prepayment meter is right for you.

For more information on using a prepayment meter:
adviceguide.org.uk/index/gas_and_electricity_bills.htm#using_a_prepayment_meter

If your home is in a part of the UK that isn't connected to the gas mains network, you might use heating oil to power your central heating system and hot water.

Find out how using domestic heating oil works and your consumer rights when you buy and use it:
adviceguide.org.uk/index/domestic_heating_oil_what_you_need_to_know

Before you can work out if you can get a better deal elsewhere, you should find out how much you’re already spending each year on energy. You can find how much energy you used over the last year by looking at your last four quarterly bills or annual statement from your supplier. You also need to find out whether you pay a standing charge and include this in the amount you spend. When you know how much energy you use, you can compare the prices from different suppliers. You can do this by contacting each supplier individually to ask for their best rates. Or you can use an internet price comparison tool. Price comparison tools offer an easy way to compare the prices from lots of suppliers at once. The Consumer Focus website has a full list of  approved price-comparison websites. You can also tell if a website is accredited, as it will display the Consumer Focus Confidence Code logo on its homepage.

For more information about switching energy suppliers:
adviceguide.org.uk/index/switching_gas_and_electricity_suppliers

If you decide to switch suppliers, you will need to:

- contact the new supplier who should do most of the work for you. They'll give you a date when your energy supply will be switched
- tell your current supplier that you're changing to the new supplier
- make sure you get contact numbers for both suppliers in case you need to call either of them during the switching process.

On the date of the switch, your new supplier will ask for a meter reading. They will then send this to your old supplier who will ask you to pay the outstanding amount you owe for your energy. It’s important to pay this money off before you switch suppliers, or your old supplier may refuse to let you move until you have cleared the balance.

For more information on what happens when you switch suppliers:
adviceguide.org.uk/index/switching_gas_and_electricity_suppliers.htm#how_to_switch_suppliers

When your transfer to the new supplier has been completed they must send the previous supplier a closing meter reading which will be used to finalise your account. The old supplier will be able to bill you for any energy consumed up to this reading So after the transfer has been completed you will receive a bill that should be described as the final bill using this meter reading.

Make sure you take a meter reading on the date of your transfer to guarantee you pay the right amount to your old and new supplier. If you are sent bills by the previous supplier which don't stipulate that they are final bills to close the account then contact that supplier immediately to check that they are aware you have transferred and request a final bill is produced using the transfer reading.