Peterborough City Council has launched the Ready to switch? scheme to save people money on their gas and electricity bills. The initiative is known as collective switching and uses the combined buying power of residents across our community to negotiate cheaper prices with energy companies.
Households switch energy provider as a group at the same time – and everyone saves on their own bill. The more households that sign up the bigger the savings – but on average we expect residents will save between £60 and £200 a year.
It’s quick, easy and hassle free
Register now for free and with no obligation. All you need is your latest energy bill, contact details and information on how much energy you use.
There are several ways to register:
• Visit www.readytoswitch.co.uk and follow the instructions
• Call Peterborough Direct on (01733) 747474
• Visit our Ready to switch? registration desks at Bayard Place in the city centre
You have until 17 December 2012 to register for the scheme
Collective switching – switch together and save together
The idea of collective switching is that the more households that register for the scheme, the stronger the bargaining power to drive down energy bills for individuals households.
The scheme will group together households from across the community calculating how much energy all those residents use.
Once registration has closed an auction will be held with energy providers (18 December) to find out which one will bid the best price to supply energy to all those households that have registered.
Offers will then be sent out to tell households exactly how much they could save and you decide whether to make the final switch. Emails and letters will be sent out from 24 December and you’ll have until 14 January 2013 to make up your mind.
People power
As the more people who sign up, the bigger the potential savings, this scheme isn’t just open to people in Peterborough – but also across 11 other council areas throughout the UK. Everyone who signs up in any of the areas will be part of the same group for the auction – making a bigger collective of households and increasing the overall bargaining power. In total 1.5 million households will be eligible to collectively switch and save!
What’s next?
We plan to launch a scheme for small and medium enterprises in the New Year, and in early spring we’ll launch the next round of the Ready to switch? scheme for city residents for those that didn’t sign up this time. The council will work with a specialist company called iChoosr who will negotiate with the energy companies on behalf of everyone signed up to the scheme to get the best tariff possible.
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