Cost conscious residents are being given the chance to save money on their energy bills with the launch of the fifth Cambridgeshire Energy Switch scheme on Tuesday, 1st September.

Previously, the Cambridgeshire Energy Switch has enabled over 700 households within the county to make average savings of more than £200 per year. To date, Cambridgeshire residents have saved more than £160,000 as a result of the scheme.

The Cambridgeshire Energy Switch, a scheme procured by Cambridgeshire County Council and run by ICHOOSR, uses the collective bargaining power of residents to bid for better gas and electricity prices.

It is open to all Cambridgeshire residents, including those on either credit or pre-payment meters.

The scheme is backed by Cambridgeshire County Council, South Cambridgeshire District Council, Cambridge City Council, East Cambridgeshire District Council, Huntingdonshire District Council and Fenland District Council.

Cambridgeshire households may still not be accessing the lowest available energy tariffs and may not know how to change energy suppliers or want the hassle of shopping around for a better deal. The Cambridgeshire Energy Switch enables residents to access a unique tariff, which will not be available on the current energy market and which could be better value than existing options. This is due to the fact that, at present, energy suppliers are only allowed to offer four core tariffs per energy type. Though collective switching however, they are able to offer a fifth bespoke tariff.

Registration, which is free and without obligation, will be open from Tuesday, 1st September, until midnight on Monday, 12th October. Following registration, energy suppliers will be given the opportunity to compete and provide their best tariffs for electricity and/or gas, for the collective group of residents registered with the scheme.

In order to register, residents will need to know who their current energy supplier is, the tariff that they are on and their household’s annual gas and/or electricity usage. Registering does not commit households to switching supplier; residents can choose not to switch once they have received their offer.

Anyone wishing to register, or find out more, can do so online: www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/switch

Alternatively, for those without internet access, Cambridgeshire County Council can be contacted by telephone 01223 703874 or email energy.switch@cambridgeshire.gov.uk.