Newsletter

A new competitor has entered the gas and electricity market - Spark Energy. Spark Energy is a UK-based startup company, and the first new entrant into the consumer market since...

By Florian Ritzmann

With the first quarter behind us, now is a good time to take stock of what has happened to British energy consumers since the start of 2008.

Energy...

MPs announced yesterday that they will be launching a full scale inquiry into the energy market.

The decision came after four of the big six energy companies increased prices last month...

British Gas announced today that it will increase gas and electricity prices for domestic customers by 15 per cent. The move will add over £130 per year to the average...

npower announced today that it will increase prices on its tracker tariff effective January 1st. npower became the second major energy supplier to increase prices following a similar announcement from...

Energy prices will increase by up to 17% after Christmas - take advantage of discounted fixed price offers now

When it rains it pours – just as the credit crunch...

Powergen today changed its brand name to E.ON. The change will bring Powergen into line with its German multi-national parent brand name. The change is to the brand only, no...

Winter is just about here, and this year it won’t be just the Christmas decorations to remind us. The rain was everywhere last week, and with it came a sharp...

Winter is around the corner, spelling darker days, colder weather – and higher gas and electricity bills. Alarms are being raised over the uncertainties raised by the coming winter, because...

Consumer Credit Crunch – what this means to you

One thing most of us share is the need for our credit cards. We have all come up a little short once in a...

Falling gas and electricity prices earlier in 2007 have made a difference to our pockets. Most suppliers (with the exception of EDF Energy, the main supplier to Londoners) lowered their...

The energy markets regulator Ofgem today announced it was scrapping the long-standing 28 day rule, by which customers are free to leave their energy suppliers and switch to another supplier...

Consumers should be able to switch mobile phone providers in two hours or less and keep their number, Ofcom announced today.

The Communications Regulator wants consumers to have the ability to...

Fifteen thousand people across the nation are soon to get smart meters as part of an energy savings trial. Smart meters will tell consumers exactly how much electricity their power...

With their new Go Green tariff, Powergen promises to match all electricity usage with renewable resources and offset the carbon from all gas used, making this a completely carbon neutral tariff.

But what’s...

Today between 9 and 10 p.m. the lights will be turned off to raise awareness of global warming. Many of London's most famous landmarks, including Buckingham Palace, Canary Wharf, the...

Air Conditioners do's and don'ts: When you have young children, or are looking after the elderly, an air conditioner will be your weapon of last resort to beat the heat...

Here is a simple list to help you stay cool without spending too much money or using an excessive amount of electricity

• Minimise sources of heat: Standard or halogen light bulbs,...

If you combine what all Brits will spend on their credit cards in a lifetime, it will add up to somewhere around £5.25 trillion, new research has revealed.

This...

Energy Performance Certificates will be required by all home sellers in England and Wales from June 1st and experts predict that most homes will score poor marks. Whether poor EPC grades will...

And the award for the most polluting mammal goes to...

It will surprise most people to learn that 7% of all UK greenhouse gas emissions come from agriculture, and 86% of these gases...

Iberdrola, the second largest energy supplier in Spain completed its takeover of ScottishPower yesterday creating the third largest utility group in Europe. This news follows a number of high profile takeovers and...

Have you ever been victim to credit card fraud? If so, you know that it’s not only a hassle but being a victim of fraud leaves you feeling invaded and insecure...

The energy markets regulator Ofgem today announced that 4 million customers have switched suppliers in 2006, with 100,000 more switching in January and February this year than in the same...

This week, British Gas launched a new business unit aimed at marketing a range of green products and services to homes and businesses across the UK. The new unit named British Gas...

It may stand to reason that people in their early thirties are shouldering huge personal debt. Start making a little money and you begin to appreciate the finer things in life...

Experts at a major climate change conference in Brussels have warned that those countries least equipped to deal with the impact of global warming will be hit hardest. In a...

British Gas, npower, Powergen and Scottish and Southern Group, who between them service about 70% of British homes with gas and electricity, have recently announced double-digit price decreases for their...

Plasma and liquid crystal display (LCD) televisions are becoming a hot item with British consumers. Eight of ten TVs sold today are flat screens. Even with their popularity, flat screen...

The European Union has taken a further step toward tightening the greenhouse gas emissions of its member states. The organisation has conditionally accepted the pollution plans of Poland and Czech...

On 19 March 2007, the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) hosted a carbon offsetting consultation to gather input from industry stakeholders to establishing a code of practise for this...

We are facing a debt epidemic. For instance, credit card debt in the UK is second only to that of our mortgages. A nation of 60 million people,...

David Miliband, the Labour party's Environment Secretary has recently made public his party's plans to institute legally-binding carbon reduction targets. Should Mr. Miliband succeed, the U.K....

A recent study has shown that smaller UK broadband companies are trouncing their larger counterparts in gaining customer satisfaction. Overall, smaller players in the broadband market such as Madasafish...

In a historic summit, European leaders comitted to reducing greenhouse gas emissions of all 27 EU member states by 20%, compared to 1990 levels. The ambitious target could grow to...

MPs have recently stressed the need for a travel insurance crackdown. Why now and not always? A recent study by a government-birthed task force known as the Treasury Select...

Lloyds TSB's will charge customers who do not use their credit cards a £35 annual fee.

Credit card companies and banks generally regard customers who do not make much use of their...

MBNA has recently written to its British credit card holders, warning of a new service charge for being in credit for 12 months or more. The £10 annual charge will be effective...

We are pleased to announce that Utilita, a startup gas and electricity supplier based in Winchester, has today relaunched itself exclusively on this service. Utilita is an independent UK supply...

Two years into the Kyoto Protocol, some Europeans are wondering if it goes far enough. Kyoto calls for a 20% reduction in carbon emissions by the year...

Unravelit.com, the UK’s leading price comparison website today launched their much anticipated carbon offsetting service. By working with the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme, Unravelit.com has developed a new online...

Halting global warming, although conventional in its wisdom, is still leaving some economists cold. In particular, reducing the use of fossil fuels sets off alarm bells with labour economists around...

Sir Richard Branson recently fortified his role as “Mr. Environment” by teaming up with Al Gore to announce a multi-million pound prize for the best method of removing thousands of...

British Gas announced today that it will cut its standard tariffs for gas by 17 per cent and for electricity by 11 per cent beginning 12 March 2007. British Gas...

Scottish and Southern, the company behind the Atlantic Electric and Gas, Southern Electric, Scottish-Hydro and Swalec supplier brands, have re-affirmed their intention to cut gas and electricity prices in the...

Unravelit has discovered that over 25% of skiers are taking to the slopes without proper winter sports coverage and leaving themselves open to costly consequences in the case of injury.

“Taking...

Ebico and Unravelit.com announced today that they have partnered to offer Ebico’s gas and electricity tariffs on the Unravelit network of energy comparison websites. Unravelit.com is the only energy comparison...

Christmas has come and gone, but the bills will last a while. With most of us receiving our December paycheques two weeks early, we are facing a 44 day...

Skyrocketing gas and electricity prices compelled a record breaking four million people to change energy suppliers in 2006. That figure was whopping 750,000 more than in 2005 according to the...

Only a week after British households saw a hike in interest rates (to 5.25%), experts are predicting that the inflation rate for December will reach 3%.

Since the Bank of England...

The Bank of England has raised UK bank interest rates to 5.25%. In a pre-emptive move to curb inflation, the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee said that it expected...

Ebico and Unravelit.com announced today that they have partnered to offer Ebico's gas and electricity tariffs on the Unravelit network of energy comparison websites. Unravelit.com is the only energy comparison...

We are very pleased to announce that Unravelit has been awarded the prestigious Energywatch Confidence Code kite-mark. Following a rigorous audit, Unravelit was found to have passed all nine requirements...

The recent spike in music downloads has tickled the selling bone of many UK insurers. They have brought to market separate download / digital cover that will insure you against the...

Unravelit.com has submitted a complaint to the consumer watchdog energywatch concerning the practices of leading comparison brokers in calculating gas and electricity savings amounts.

At issue is the treatment of one-off...

Homeowners and tenants alike are being urged to check the the fine print on their home insurance policies this holiday season. Some insurers will increase the value of your...

Winter's here and you're getting restless. It may be time to take that well-deserved ski holiday. Sounds good, right? As you should enjoy a relaxing time away, it...

The Office of The Telecommunications Adjudicator (OTA) has recently released that it has reached a key target in unbundling phones lines in the UK.

OTA scheme supported by Ofcom, the LLU Industry...

Powergen has today launched a new EnergyOnline Winter Warm gas and electricity tariff. The tariff features all the current benefits of the existing EnergyOnline tariff, but features an attractive...

Barclaycard has announced that the annual percentage rate (APR) on its Barclaycard Platinum credit card is to be lowered from 17.9 per cent to 14.9 per cent.

Three previous APR reductions have also...

October is the Breast Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM). The major breast cancer and cancer charities all over the UK will champion the cause, employing the pink ribbon – now a...

We are celebrating the launch of our new Broadband Comparison Service. Thanks to your feedback and suggestions, we've created a great new money saving comparison service that we're sure you'll...

Recent research has found that the number of UK households enjoying broadband access is set to nearly double from 34% in the beginnng of 2006 to 64% by the end...

From Monday (2nd October 2006), the Post Office Credit Card no longer charges commission on purchases made abroad.

As the UK’s leading travel money business, the Post Office wants to give customers an even better...

Thousands of students starting their university careers this year will depend on their parent's home insurance to cover their valuables (i.e. mobiles, iPods). Much to their dismay, over one...

Following on from its promise not to raise prices further in 2006, Scottish and Southern Energy, announced a price increase would become effective on 01 January 2007. The average price...

Consumer watchdog energywatch has called into an official inquiry into high prices of as and electricity to settle "whether punishing energy prices in Britain are unavoidable or whether they can...

This month has seen an influx of news articles on student debts and advisory guides issued by governing bodies; all coinciding with the start of the new academic year. It is a real...

Student debt is becoming such a worry that a support service for those who have credit cards is being launched.

APACS, the UK payments association, has launched an online guide to credit...

Scottish and Southern Group spokesman Alan Young confirmed that prices for its 7 million gas and electricity customers would remain on hold until next year. Scottish and Southern, which supplies...

Students starting at university this month face the many challenges of leaving home, making new friends and getting on top of studies. Taking care of finances is the last thing new students think...

Students starting at university this month face the many challenges of leaving home, making new friends and getting on top of studies. Taking care of finances is the last thing new students think...

If someone makes off with your laptop, chances are you can get your money back...but what about all of the music you had stored on it? British insurers are...

Who needs the FT when you can have unravelit for free? Yesterday we speculated in our monthly newsletter that gas and electricity prices may be due to fall in 2007....

One in six adults in the UK, borrow money to fund their holidays this summer. Most of this was funded by credit card spending, with the remainder using homeowner loans, according to...

Recently, Transport Secretary Douglas Alexander has made it public that he will meet with top airport officials to look at relaxing the new rules for airline travel. For...

Tightening of security measures at UK airports have caused the number of lost laptops to triple in recent weeks. Since travellers to the United States are now unable to...

If you have a credit card, you will likely to have received credit card cheques in the post, from your provider. These cheques allow you to make additional purchases on credit and...

A recent study by a top UK newspaper has revealed that Britons are far too careless when handing over their passports abroad. More than 250,000 passports were lost or...

Bank of England released figured showing that UK mortgage lending rose by a net £9.79bn in July - its biggest monthly increase since September 2003.

The question now is whether the Bank's surprise quarter-point...

New borrowing on credit cards fell to an all-time low in July.

The British Bankers' Association (BBA), whose members provide 70% of credit card lending in the UK, said spending of £7bn...

Since the Post Office has implemented radical changes in its posting charges, UK insurance brokers are now looking more seriously at online options. No longer can you simply observe...

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) is warning the UK government that more money must be spent defending British homes and businesses against flooding. Recent climate changes and sea...

Irish company www.steorn.com claim to have developed a source of free, clean and constant energy based on a specific constellation of fixed and moving magnets. The company states that...

Millions of Brits face security risk from identity fraudsters, through the dormant credit cards they carry around. A recent research from Morgan Stanley showed that a quarter of all Brits...

The chairman of the UK energy regulator Ofgem Sir John Mogg, has speculated in an interview with the Financial Times that gas prices may fall in the coming year.

The chairman's...

Have you ever read your insurance policy wording and not exactly understand what you just read? You're not alone. Here are a few examples, in no particular order,...

EBICo - the not-for-profit energy supplier announced today that it will increase prices for both gas and electricity tariffs. Electricity tariffs will increase by an average of 21% and gas...

With Broadband these days, there always seems to be a better deal around the corner. Britons are constantly migrating to other ISPs. A common complaint from consumers when wishing to...

Powergen StayWarm customers are now able to compare the competitiveness of their tariff using this service. StayWarm is available to citizens 60 years of age or older. Customers pay a...

Unravelit has joined forces with the one of the UK's largest female portals - Handbag.com - to provide Financial and Energy comparison tools integrated into Handbag's Money area. The deal...

HSBC launches a new credit card offering a zero per cent interest rate on balance transfers for a period of 12 months or more. The new offer will include zero...

Post Codes are a magical thing. When establishing premiums for buildings and contents cover, the majority of insurers will use the postcode of the insured property. Postcodes let your...

Since the Bank of England's August rate rise, savvy landlords know that first-time home buyers are now further delayed from owning their own home. If you have been in...

Powergen announces an 18.4% increase on its gas tariff and 9.7% increase on its electricity price. The increase affects all customers, except those that have previously signed up to a...

The UK Treasury has recently announced a probe into allegations of travel insurance mis-selling. The government is reacting to an increasing number of reports of Britons who have suffered cancelled...

A recent survey release from Zurich Insurance states that when an average Briton takes a stroll, or goes to work - they are carrying £851 worth of clothes, electronic devices...

The Bank of England's recent quarter point increase in base lending rates to 4.75% highlights the extent to which the increasing cost of gas and electricity is putting pressure on...

For the first time in over two years the Bank of England raised interest rates on Friday - and where the Bank of England goes lenders will quickly follow. Now...

Unravelit.com now allows consumers to review the date on which a tariff is launched, as some tariffs that appear cheap today may be due for a price change in the...

Travelers going abroad should keep an eye on their credit cards. A research by Barclaycard lists Turkey, France, Spain and America for accounting more than half of all credit card...

The UK insurance industry has created and launched a new investigation bureau to tighten up on organised insurance fraud, which is making almost £4m a week for criminal gangs according...

Customers wondering how the latest British Gas price increases for gas and electricity will be affecting them when they come into effect on September 4th should note that these prices...

British Gas has announced that it will raise gas bills by 12.4% for its 10.7 million customers. The firm's electricity customers will also face a 9.4% increase in their bills...

EDF Energy have today announced a price increase of 19% on gas and 8% on electricity. The company cites the continuing rise in wholesale energy costs as the reason behind...

A recent undercover study into UK travel agents has revealed some shocking results. A leading consumer website has found that travel agents are charging too much for travel insurance and...

The UK government today published the results of its energy review, mapping out the thrust of energy policies to come. The most notable point in the review is a commitment...

Almost one million UK consumers switched energy suppliers in March this year - the highest number ever for a single month. In response to huge price increases from the nation’s...

Powergen today introduces an electricity only version of its popular dual fuel EnergyOnline tariff. Customers without a gas supply can now benefit from Powergen's discounted electricity rate. The product is...

The UK energy regulator has announced an industry-wide intiative to speed up the development and deployment of 'smart meters'. Smart meters can be read remotely, and offer customers better information...

Jun 29 2006

Ellesmere Port Pioneer - IC Cheshire

A 10% hike in energy prices by ScottishPower has been branded as 'the latest blow in a brutal assault on consumers' by a...

ScottishPower today announced a price increase on all its tariffs. The company is raising the price of electricity by 10% and the price of gas by 17% respectively. The increase...

It was forty years ago that Barclays Bank first introduced the UK to that little bit of plastic known as a credit card. At that time, only half of UKers...

British Gas on 09/09 announced a price increase of 14.2% for its standard gas and electricity tariffs, effective from 19th September 2005. The new prices have been loaded and current...

Inflation in May was measured at 2.2% by the Office of National Statistics (ONS), against a government target of 2%. Increases in gas and electricity prices are largely to blame,...

Britain’s banks are under pressure to cut the fees imposed on people who go into the red. The consumer magazine, Which?, studied bank charges and found that account holders paid...

Credit card companies were told by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), in April, to cut penalties for the late payment of bills by about half and signalled other bank...

Summer's here and if you live in a high-subsidence area, you know what that means; you home is at a higher risk of sinking. Before you're left with that sinking...

The UK Department Health is advising holidaymakers to make sure they are aware that foreign health cover has changed. The old European heath cover form, the E111 is no more....

A study comissioned by British Gas has found that Reading households produce 6,189 Kg of carbon dioxide each, the equivalent environmental impact of flying 13,000 miles (two return flights between...

EU antitrust regulators have carried out "unannounced inspections" on energy companies in six EU countries on suspicion of abusing their market power. The raids targeted gas groups in Austria, Belgium,...

Ofcom has released new statistics on mis-selling activities by telephone services providers. The research establishes that there are 0.16 average complaints per 100 customer switches and that some smaller companies...

The Government has released new figures showing that the number of people becoming insolvent during the first three months of 2006 soared to its highest level since records began in...

Consumers shop around for the best prices and bargains when it comes to groceries, consumables, electrical products and gadgets, but tend to be less motivated with their financial facilities (credit...

A new survey by the communications regulator OFCOM highlights the availability and usage levels of internet, telecommunications and broadcasting services across the UK. The report finds that Londoners spend...

The communications regulator OFCOM has published the results of a survey which shows that primary school children are more adept at dealing with the latest digital technology than their parents....

Customers of small specialist green energy suppliers are being put at a price disadvantage. Analysis carried out by unravelit shows that the price of electricity as supplied by smaller 'green-only'...

Are you wondering by just how much energy prices have gone up in the last few years? We have compared average gas and electricity tariff data going back to January...

Sign up for a Texaco fastfuel card on unravelit. You could save on every litre of petrol for your car with this handy little card - and even better, pay...

British Gas has announced that standard gas and electricity prices will increase by 22% as of March 01. Customers who signed up to British Gas's Discounted Electricity" tariff after 20/01/2006...

Not sure about switching the first time you get a savings quote from Unravelit.com? You can now save your energy quote details with Unravelit.com. Just run a search, store your...

Ofcom has recently changed the way you switch your broadband providers. Before you are able to switch your provider, you must first receive a unique 17 - 18 digit...

Ofcom has recently changed the way you switch your broadband providers. Before you are able to switch your provider, you must first receive a unique 17 - 18 digit...

A unique advanced search tool for energy customers has been launched. The enhancement allows customers with non-standard energy tariffs to perform always accurate savings comparison searches, and will particularly benefit...

The energy markets regulator Ofgem has agreed to allow the 4 leading UK gas pipeline operators to invest about £3.6 billion over the next 5 years. The investment plan is...