No standing charge energy tariffs explained

If you’re away from home for large parts of the year, or you own a second holiday home that you visit infrequently or occasionally rent, the standing charge on your energy bill is an expense you could really do without.

Could an energy switch to a supplier with no standing charge tariffs help cut your bills?

There's no price cap on business energy. Compare deals to find cheaper prices than your supplier's out of contract rates.

What is a standing charge?

Standing charges for energy are an amount you pay each month to cover the cost of physically supplying gas and electricity to your home, and keeping it connected to the energy network.

Standing charges have been included on all energy bills since Ofgem’s Retail Market Review (RMR) suggested all energy plans should follow the same price structure, to make it easier for customers to compare energy tariffs and switch to a better deal.

These charges work in much the same way as your telephone and broadband line rental costs, and will be listed on your energy bill as a daily, flat unit rate.

Each energy supplier sets its own standing charge rate, even though they’re no longer obliged to since Ofgem removed this condition, following recommendations from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA)

The standing charge for electricity can be anywhere between 5p and 60p per day, while the standing charge for gas is from 10p to 80p per day, both of which can add a considerable amount to your energy bills.

How much is a standing charge?

The table below shows how much you can expect to pay in standing charges:

Energy type Cost of daily standing charge
Gas Between 10p and 80p
Electricity Between 5p and 60p

What is a no standing charge energy tariff?

Also known as zero standing charge tariffs, a no standing charge tariff is simply a gas, electricity or dual fuel deal that does away with the standing charge, which is the daily fee your supplier charges to cover the cost of physically supplying gas and electricity to your home, and keeping it connected to the energy network. Other names are simply - no standing charge electricity, or no standing charge gas.

Which no standing charge energy suppliers are available?

If you're in the market for an energy deal without a standing charge, searching for a British Gas no standing charge deal or and EDF Energy zero standing charge deal might draw a blank. Instead, might be worth having a look at the below links for zero standing charge suppliers.

No standing charge energy 2021 suppliers:

Do you need to pay a standing charge on your energy bills?

If your energy supplier imposes a standing charge, you have to pay it, but there are a few energy suppliers without standing charge tariffs with no standing charge. Of the Big Six, only npower offers an electricity plan with no standing charge, while Ebico and Utilia are among a handful of smaller no standing charge energy companies.

The amount you pay will differ depending upon which supplier you’re with, so the British Gas standing charge will differ from the EDF Energy standing charge. And charges will also vary depending up the type of tariff you’re on and the part of the country you live in.

If you want to compare gas and electric standing charges, simply enter your postcode in the box at the top of the page and run a standard energy price comparison. Then, when you’re presented with a list of responses, simply click on ‘Plan info’ to check out all the tariff information, including unit rates, standing gas charges, electricity standing charges and any exit fees.

What are the advantages of a no standing charge tariff?

The main advantage of a no standing charge tariff is that you only pay for the energy you use – so if you aren’t using gas or electricity for long periods, you won’t be charged a penny. If a standing charge is included, you’ll pay a daily fee for gas and electricity, even if you never use it.

Another advantage of a tariff with no standing charge is that the unit cost – which is often higher than on tariffs with a standing charge – is often reduced after a certain amount of gas and electricity has been used, which could be ideal if you own more than one property.

What are the disadvantages of a no standing charge tariff?

You might assume that no standing charge tariffs are a cheaper option as do away with the daily fee, but this is not always the case when opting for a zero standing charge electricity or gas tariff. One disadvantage of a no standing charge energy tariff is that, because these tariffs charge a higher unit price for gas and electricity, you might actually end up paying more each month, particularly if you’re a medium-to-high use energy customer.

Are there standing charges for prepayment meters?

If you have a prepayment meter and pay for your energy by topping up your meter with credit, you’ll still have to pay a standing charge. Prepay meter standing charges still have to be paid even if you don’t have any credit on your prepayment meter – you’ll have to pay all the standing charges you owe next time you top up.

Standing charges for prepayment meters are typically around 28p per day, but the amount you pay will vary depending upon which tariff and supplier you’re with and whereabouts you live.

Should you switch to a no standing charge energy tariff?

If you’d rather not paying a standing charge for electricity or gas, you need to work out exactly how much you’ll save by switching to a tariff that does away with this fee – although you’ll save on the daily charges, higher unit prices mean you might still end up paying more for your energy, particularly if you often have the heating on, and regularly run appliances like washing machines and dryers.

In general, tariffs with high standing charges usually have lower unit rates for gas and electricity, while no standing charge energy tariffs come with higher unit costs.

So it all depends upon your circumstances – if you use a lot of energy, it probably makes sense to go for a tariff that has lower unit prices. If, on the other hand, you don’t use a lot of energy, say your property is empty for extended periods of time (around nine months or more each year), it’s worth considering a plan with no standing charge.

If you want a list of energy suppliers without standing charge, or the cheapest dual fuel with no standing charge deals, give our energy experts a call on 0800 320 2000.

How to get the best energy deal

Switching energy supplier is a quick and simple way to knock hundreds of pounds off the cost of your annual energy bills – but with so many suppliers offering so many different tariffs, choosing the best one can be a bit tricky. The simplest way to see what deals are on offer is to run a price comparison with UKPower.

What are the alternatives to a no standing charge tariff?

If you're having trouble finding suitable energy suppliers with no standing charge, a zero standing charge electrcity deal or a no standing charge gas plan, it's worth comparing energy deals to find the lowest standing charge electricity and gas tariffs available.

The simplest way to do this is run an energy price comparison and, when you're taken to the results page, click on the 'Plan info' link next to the deal your checking and then click on 'See unit rates and standing charges'.