YORSwitch, collective switching for households

What is the YORSwitch scheme?

Many residents are still paying too much for their energy and in more recent times many thousands of households have seen energy prices rise even further, after their supplier went bust. Millions are set for a huge increase in prices in April when a new cap comes into force.

Sometimes residents don’t have the ability to switch suppliers, are afraid of switching, don’t have the time, or simply think that it’s just too much hassle. This is where East Riding of Yorkshire Council can help.

With the YORSwitch scheme we will negotiate for competitive prices with the energy companies on behalf of our residents and make the switching process as simple as possible. We are hoping that many people who wouldn’t otherwise switch will take advantage of the opportunity and benefit from the scheme, including some of our most vulnerable customers.

How does YORSwitch work?

We gather together a lot of people who want to switch and pay less for their energy with no hassle. We then arrange for an auction to take place between the energy suppliers and the one that offers the best deal will offer you a new contract. You will receive a personal offer which will show how much you could save. If you agree to the offer, we will take care of the switching process for you.

Bonus. There is no obligation or cost to register or to switch.

Why was the recent YORSwitch auction cancelled?

In our October auction suppliers could not bid with the tariffs below, or indeed even get close to the Ofgem price cap.

Our first priority remains to save residents money on their energy bills, with the second to help people make more sustainable choices, therefore we have a moral obligation to not advise switching if it does not make economical sense. Unfortunately, and for reasons beyond our control, these are the circumstances we currently find ourselves in.  

For residents

For further information, you can visit the  Big Community Switch information page or see the  FAQ page. Should you have any further questions please contact our helpdesk for advice.

What tariff do you offer?

We will not know what price you will be offered for your energy until after the auction has taken place and you have received your offer in writing, this is because a collective switching scheme is dependent on how many people sign up to the scheme; the bigger the group, the lower the tariff.

Your potential saving depends on your current tariff, payment method and your electricity and gas usage, and ultimately on the winning bid. We cannot guarantee that our offer is the cheapest offer but our model aims to ensure the majority of participating households are offered lower annual energy bills than they are on currently or is available at the time of the offer.

We currently offer two payment types, Direct Debit, and pre-payment. It is a more convenient and cheaper method of paying energy bills. To maximise the benefit of collective switching and group buying power, participants are grouped into the most popular tariff. If demand proves high enough, other payment methods may be available in the future.

How do I register for the next YORSwitch auction?

Registration is now open. If you would like to register to receive a no-obligation offer, simply complete the form by following the link below (you’ll need a recent energy bill to hand).

Big Community Switch (external website)

Please note: one email address can be used multiple times to register up to five households which means you are able to register on behalf of relatives or friends who do not have internet access and they can reap the benefits.

I’ve registered with YORSwitch, what happens next?

Thank you to all who registered with YORSwitch. An online reverse auction will be held on Tuesday 15 February 2022 and Personal Offers will be sent out by email or post from Monday 28 February 2022.

If you have not received your offer by Monday 21 March 2022 please contact us on (01482) 393939.

About your personal offer

When you receive your personal offer, it will tell you who the winning supplier is and their rates for your annual energy consumption.  The offer letter or email you receive will also show your current annual usage which you told us when registering for the scheme so that you are able to compare how much money you would save by switching. 

Please note: consider the offer carefully and check with your current provider if you will have to pay a penalty charge for terminating your contract. (You can usually switch 42-49 days before the end of a fixed-term contract without incurring a penalty).

You have until Tuesday 29 March 2022 to accept your offer. If you have any questions about your offer or would like to discuss your options, please telephone the customer service centre on (01482) 393939.

Switching over

If you decide to switch, simply complete the form attached to the offer letter/email and either post back in the pre-paid envelope or email back. We will then take care of the switching process for you and you will receive a welcome pack from your new supplier in due course.

If you decide not to switch, you do not need to do anything.

If you would like extra support with understanding your offer letter, you can call the customer service centre on (01482) 393939.