Money expert Martin Lewis is urging households to make a simple change to cut their energy bills before the April price cap change
Households worried about their energy bills have been urged to act before April 1. Money saving expert Martin Lewis says switching to a fixed tariff now could help some secure cheaper prices.
Speaking during a recent appearance on This Morning, Lewis explained that locking in a deal could offer protection if prices rise later. He said those who are “risk averse” may want to fix their energy rate so their bills cannot go up.
Lewis told viewers that only a small number of fixed deals are currently cheaper than the price cap. He says the cheapest fixes available to many households are now around 7% cheaper than the cap, although two weeks earlier deals were roughly 14% cheaper.
He warned consumers that not every deal appears automatically on comparison websites. According to Lewis, many price comparison sites hide tariffs that do not pay them commission.
That means some of the cheapest deals may not appear in initial search results. Lewis advised using a comparison site that shows the “whole market” or ticking a box that says “show all tariffs”.
“You might find a fix that’s cheaper than the price cap,” Lewis said in the clip shared on TikTok. He added that if someone is worried about future increases, locking into a cheaper fix now could be the “safe thing to do”.
The timing is important because the energy price cap is about to change again. According to Ofgem, the cap will fall by around 7% from April 1.
For a typical household paying by Direct Debit, the new cap will drop to about £1,641 per year, down from £1,758 between January and March.
Ofgem says the cap limits how much suppliers can charge for each unit of gas and electricity for customers on standard variable tariffs. The regulator reviews the cap every three months, meaning bills can still rise or fall depending on wholesale energy costs.
However, Lewis warned that energy markets remain unpredictable. If wholesale prices drop quickly, cheaper fixed deals could become available later.
Research from Ofgem shows millions of households remain on standard variable tariffs linked to the cap. These customers automatically see their bills change whenever the cap is updated.
Lewis said the key is deciding how much risk you are comfortable with. For those wanting certainty over their energy costs, he says switching to a cheaper fixed tariff before April could provide peace of mind.
