Households on a default dual-fuel tariff in Great Britain could cut costs by moving to a fixed deal

Experts have told households whose energy bills are pegged to the price cap not to “rest on their laurels” as they could save more than £200 a year on a fixed deal.

This week, Ofgem said the price cap in Great Britain would drop by 7% from April. This usually only matters if you are on a default tariff, but this time the reduction applies to everyone because the government is removing green charges from bills.

As typical annual dual-fuel charge rises to £1,755, charities warn over record £4.4bn owed to suppliers

• Britons preparing to ration energy as Ofgem price cap rises, says charity

• What is the energy price cap for Great Britain, and can I cut my bill?

Three and a half years after war plunged Europe into an energy supply crisis, millions of households in Great Britain are braced for another winter of painful gas and electricity bills.

On Wednesday, the quarterly cap on charges will increase again. Despite a fall in wholesale gas prices, the ceiling for a typical annual dual-fuel bill will rise by 2% to £1,755 to help cover the costs of energy policies and network upgrades.

Regulator says energy firms planning payments for another 1,000 customers after reviewing 150,000 forced installations

Only 1,500 people have been compensated by energy companies for the forced installation of prepayment meters over the past year, figures show.

The energy regulator, Ofgem, said that initial information from gas and electricity suppliers showed that 1,502 customers had received compensation totalling £342,450.