Before you buy

Shopping with E (Gas and Electricity)

E is built around prepayment. You top up with a key or card, or through its MySmartE app if you have a smart meter. Smart meter customers pay nothing for days they use no gas or electricity.

There are no exit fees. Every meter has emergency credit, and friendly credit hours stop your supply cutting off in the evenings and at weekends. E also takes part in the Warm Home Discount scheme.

E's prices aren't in my energy comparison, because it doesn't publish them in a form I can use. To see what it would charge for your home, ask it for a quote, then set that figure against the cheapest deals in my comparison for your region.

To switch, call E's customer service team on 0333 103 9575; its online switching is unavailable at the moment. It sends you a welcome pack and a new top-up key or card, and you have 14 days to change your mind.