When UK consumers are shopping around for the best electricity rates, they often think that they are limited to the big six – but there are other options. Often, alternative providers will give better tariffs, so it is worthwhile checking before you switch.

One company that is worth considering is First Utility. Founded back in 2008, they are the largest independent supplier of gas and electricity in the UK. They have a reputation for offering low energy costs, as well as good customer service and energy saving advice.

The price promise

Although the company has a reputation for low prices, they also back this up with a guarantee on their iSave Everyday tariff. They compare this tariff to the standard tariffs of the big six energy providers, and then promise to reduce their tariff within 60 days if it is higher than any of these. This applies to the entire mainland UK, and is calculated by using an average UK bill. The guarantee applies to both gas and electricity.

First Utility is actually very transparent about the savings. They publish the results on their website, listing the savings versus the big six. For example, they report savings of about £29 compared to Scottish Power, and about £45 versus Npower.

High customer satisfaction ratings

In addition to low prices, the company also has a high overall customer satisfaction rating. In fact, one third-party survey showed that they overall satisfaction rating was 74% – higher than all of the big six energy providers. This is a full 8% higher than the UK average, and 21% higher than EDF, which has the lowest customer satisfaction rating at 53%. The company has also a UK-based customer support team, making it relatively easy to get quick feedback on issues.

Energy savings

The company also is committed to helping its customers save energy. In fact, the CEO has made the point that they want to help their customers to use less energy, and draws a contrast with other energy suppliers when it comes to this. They provide extensive information on their website about how to save energy, ranging from room heaters and thermostats selling things through to how to save on hot water costs. There are also practical and comprehensive guides on other topics, such as draught-proofing and insulation.

In addition, the company is a participant in the UK Government’s Feed in Tariff scheme, which pays homeowners when they supply energy back to the grid. This typically happens when excess power is generated from solar panels, but also applies to wind turbines and even water-generated power.