This means now is the time to take a look at your energy bills.
What's on offer?
The good news is that energy prices are starting to fall, as providers fight for market share. A price war has erupted as the big energy suppliers try to offer the most competitive deal and secure new customers before the peak-use season kicks in.
Currently, the best deal on offer is E.ON's Fix Online v3, with average bills of £983.76, closely followed by British Gas' WebSaver 4 tariff, which costs an average of £993.56 a year.
However, prices vary from region to region and this can lead to some strange situations. EDF Energy recently launched its Online v5 tariff, billing an average of £982.49, which looks like a market-leading deal.
In fact, although it's the cheapest on average, EDF does not actually come out on top in any of the 14 regions - E.ON is the best value in ten and British Gas is the lowest price for the remaining four.
When to switch
If you fixed your tariff this time last year to protect your household from soaring bills, that deal will now be coming to an end.
That means many households will automatically be moved onto their provider's standard rate, which is never going to be the most competitive deal on offer.
Scott Byrom, moneysupermarket.com's energy expert, said: "Bill payers need to be aware that the big increases they could face when their current deal ends could wipe out any savings that they made when they fixed last year. Customers on Scottish Power's Fixed Price 2009 deal, the next to end on August 31, could see their bills rise by £134.91 a year."
Even if you aren't about to come off a fixed deal, you can probably still make savings by switching provider. Millions of households have never changed energy suppliers and as a result are paying their providers standard price for gas and electricity. Yet there are average savings of £174 a year to be had by moving to a cheaper deal.
What to do?
So should you choose a fixed deal? Many people are just coming out of these contracts and may be wondering if they should fix again with the market-leading provider.
After all, if prices continue to fall, perhaps customers should avoid fixed deals and see what happens in the market.
Scott said: "Fixed deals may not be the best option in a market of falling prices but anyone who is worried about future increases can opt for this tariff."
Where to find the best deal
There are so many factors affecting energy bills so average costs can only ever be a rough guide.
However, identifying the cheapest deal for your home is easy. Just enter your postcode and current provider details into moneysupermarket.com's comparison tool and we will compare the tariffs from all the major energy providers and identify the best deal for you as well as highlighting the savings you could make. You can also apply and arrange the transfer online through moneysupermarket - what could be simpler?
For more, watch our video 'How to switch your energy provider?'.
How to reduce what you use
Don't forget, the best way to bring down your bills is to use less energy. Whether it's by insulating your loft, getting in the habit of switching appliances off or replacing your light bulbs with energy savers, most people could take some simple steps that will make their homes more efficient, bringing down their bills and helping the environment.
Read Scott's article 'Ten tips to cut energy bills' for some general advice.
The other option to consider is whether you could generate some of your own energy - an increasing number of people are installing solar panels and wind turbines on their home. Is this something you should be considering? For advice from leading industry experts, listen to our new podcast 'Make energy, save money?'.
Disclaimer: Please note that any rates or deals mentioned in this article were available at the time of writing.
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