Your home's location could be a factor on energy prices, says expert

There are a number of factors that have a major effect on your electrical energy consumption around the home: which tariff you subscribe to, whether you've installed energy efficiency measures such as LED light bulbs and energy meters, and if you and your family are energy smart enough to turn off lights when not in use being chief among them.

But according to a spokesperson for independent comparison service uSwitch.com, there could be another factor at play in deciding the price of your monthly bills: your geographical location.

"Consumers have faced a postcode lottery on energy prices for many years," says uSwitch.com director of consumer policy Ann Robinson. "You can get a competitive deal, but just how competitive it is depends on where you live."

A study has this week found that energy prices can fluctuate across the UK by as much as £92 per year, with some of the highest energy costs hitting the areas with the most unemployment.

But despite the energyhelpline.com findings, Ms Robinson says those consumers who are aware of the best deals can use their location to their advantage.

"This can very easily be turned to their advantage once people know about it, simply by making sure that they choose the supplier offering the best price in their area," said the expert, who noted shopping around was key to achieving the best deal.

"Even though all suppliers offer their cheapest prices online, these can vary by as much as a couple of hundred pounds in one area," said Ms Robinson. "Consumers cannot assume that their local supplier will automatically be cheaper - it's rare for a supplier to offer their most competitive price in their incumbent or local region."

As well as being sure not to be constrained to an inflated tariff by shopping around, consumers can make their energy go further by switching their traditional light bulbs for LEDs and making sure they put their switches and sockets to good use by turning off appliances and lights when they are not being used.