Gas and electricity prices have steadily risen over the past decade, and look set to continue rising. This news isn’t great for the average consumer, particularly given the financial pressures that we are finding ourselves increasingly under in recent times. The increase is normally due to rises in inflation, which is unfortunately unavoidable. Another factor which may influence the price of gas the demand for oil and the availability of resources greatly dictates how much gas providers will charge.

As electricity and gas prices inevitably increase you may find yourself shopping around for a better deal and perhaps even looking for a new provider. When it comes to switching your energy supplier this can be confusing business and sometimes it is difficult to even know who to trust. There are a number of ways that you can research the market and find the best deal to suit you without a great deal of hassle.

Three things to take into account when switching over are your new provider’s costs, availability and range of products and services.

Costs are generally calculated on usage and can also include a provider’s overheads and admin fees. A simple way to keep costs down is shopping around for a company that offers special discounts, whether on online or direct debit payments or monthly, quarterly or yearly instalments. If you are changing provider there may be some tempting introductory offers to win you over and save you some decent money.

In terms of availability, not all provider’s services are available in all areas so this is worth checking before you leave your existing provider.

Many gas and energy suppliers offer additional perks for making them your main supplier, including free annual boiler checks, care plans and 24 support helplines. Visiting a price comparison site can be a wonderful way to investigate your options, but remember to visit the providers specific site to find out what their whole range of products and services are.

Remember that whole process of actually switching your gas or electricity provider could actually take a number of weeks, so if it is something you are considering then start researching sooner rather than later. There may also be a small charge if you have already entered into a contract with your existing provider, however with gas and electricity prices consistently on the rise, switching until you are satisfied you have the best deal in gas and electricity prices is a wise move.

Clint Starr writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.