Why wholesale energy prices have been rising
We look at the reasons behind this and explain how this impacts the energy tariff you’re on.
6 July 2021 - Wholesale energy prices – the prices suppliers pay to buy energy – have risen by about 30% since March. When this happens it’s usually unwelcome news for customers as it means an increase in their energy bills – either shortly for those on Variable tariffs, or when their current Fixed price tariff ends.
Here we examine what’s caused the rise in wholesale prices, and which tariff – Fixed or Variable – could be the best option for you.
Reasons for increases:
Effects of lockdown easing
Since March last year, more of us have been spending more time at home due to lockdown restrictions. As the economy slowly opens up, this has led to more demand globally for oil and power.
A colder winter
In January, gas supply came under pressure due to a long period of very cold weather which lasted well into the spring. With more people at home, this increased the use of heating during these months. The wettest and coldest May for many years is also likely to put even more pressure on energy prices as we enter the summer months.
Renewable energy generation
An increase in demand coupled with the colder weather and periods of low wind resulted in wind turbines losing their productivity for some time. Supplies have also been hit by several nuclear power stations going offline for maintenance, causing a drop in the production of wind energy.
Fixed vs Variable tariffs: how are they priced and which is better for me?
Fixed
Our Fixed energy tariff guarantees that the cost of your energy will not go up or down for a set amount of time. At UW, we set our Fixed tariff to last for about 12 months.
Remember – even if you fix your plan, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be paying the same amount for your energy each month. While your unit rates remain fixed, your bill may vary from month to month depending on your energy use.
Advantages of a Fixed tariff:
You get peace of mind that your energy unit price won’t go up even if there’s a shift in wholesale prices.
Right now, even though our Variable tariff is slightly cheaper than our Fixed, it’ll likely be cheaper to take Fixed over the course of 12 months because of price increases expected in October this year.
Disadvantages of a Fixed tariff:
If wholesale prices decrease over the course of 12 months, you won’t benefit from lower energy prices.
Variable
With this type of tariff, the price-per-unit is based on wholesale energy costs and other factors, which will have a direct impact on your bill.
There’ll be pricing variability, which means that the price of your energy can go up and down – but we won’t do this more than twice a year.
Advantages of a Variable tariff:
You take advantage of reductions in wholesale energy prices almost straight away.
You’re not tied into a contract, and can leave any time for a better deal.
Disadvantages of a Variable tariff:
At the moment prices are generally rising – so as they rise, so will your bill.
It’s harder to budget, as you don’t know exactly how much you’ll be paying in the future. But we’ll help you be prepared as much as possible and adjust your payments accordingly.
Which tariff is better for me?
For long-term savings, it may be best to take Green Fixed tariff, as it’ll likely be cheaper over the course of the next 12 months with the price increases to Variable tariffs expected in October.
The good news is that, whether you take on our Fixed or Variable tariff, both now come with 100% renewable electricity*.
What’s more, when you sign up to UW, we’ll also plant a tree in your name. And if you decide to take a free smart meter, we’ll give you an extra £50**. So whichever tariff you choose, you’ll be getting a great deal.
The legal bit
*Customers who take our energy, mobile and broadband services
**Terms and conditions apply
What next?
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