Dual Fuel vs Separate Energy Suppliers

Most UK households take gas and electricity from the same supplier ("dual fuel"). It's simpler — but it's not always cheaper.

When dual fuel wins

• Suppliers offer dual-fuel discounts (£15–£30/yr).
• One bill, one direct debit, one customer service line.
• Easier to switch as a single transaction.

When splitting wins

• The cheapest gas tariff and cheapest electricity tariff are at different suppliers — and the gap is more than £30/yr.
• You want a 100% renewable electricity supplier but cheap gas.
• You're on Economy 7 and need a specialist time-of-use deal.

Bottom line: always compare the true annual cost of "dual" against "best-of-both" before assuming dual fuel is cheapest. And whichever route you pick, make sure your meter is reporting correctly — see common smart meter problems and how to fix them so both fuels are billed on real usage.