Uswitch ran The Great Energy Savings Switch, a collective switch, between mid-January and 16 February 20261. A collective switch is a group of consumers joining through a third party to sign up to a specific, usually exclusive, energy tariff from a gas and electricity supplier1. The window for joining has now closed.
Eligibility was set by a deadline of 26 January 2026. Customers could join if, by that date, they held a Uswitch account, were subscribed to marketing emails from Uswitch, or were subscribed to emails from Zoopla partners1. Uswitch states that anyone who received an email about the scheme is subscribed to marketing emails from Uswitch, Confused or Zoopla, and that opting out is done by unsubscribing from the last email received1.
"Registering does not mean you have to switch to the winning tariffs, but it does give you the option to do so if you wish."
Uswitch says its energy experts negotiate collective deals at competitive rates, often cheaper than those available across the whole market, and that it promotes deals through marketing only where its experts judge them worth considering1. It also states that collective switch deals are often among the cheapest available, but that this is not always guaranteed, and that a comparison should be run before signing up1.
Terms that apply to any switch away from a current deal are set out in the same guidance. A household within 49 days of a fixed plan ending pays no exit fees to leave its supplier; a household on a standard variable tariff pays no exit fee and is free to switch1. Outside that 49-day window, exit fees may apply1. There is a two-week cooling-off period giving 14 days to cancel a contract without giving a reason, beginning once the switch is confirmed online or by phone1. Under the Energy Switch Guarantee, which Uswitch says most UK suppliers have signed, switches must be completed within five working days with no supply interruptions1.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Scheme | The Great Energy Savings Switch (collective switch) |
| Run by | Uswitch |
| Open | Mid-January to 16 February 2026 |
| Eligibility deadline | 26 January 2026 |
| Exit fees | None within final 49 days of a fixed plan, or on a standard variable tariff |
| Cooling-off period | 14 days from confirming the switch |
| Switch completion | Five working days under the Energy Switch Guarantee |
Why it matters for households
A collective switch pools household demand so a third party can negotiate an exclusive tariff, which is the mechanism by which a group of homes may access a rate not offered to the open market1. For a household, the practical effect is that the price available depends on joining through the scheme rather than approaching a supplier directly, and that the deal carries the same switching protections as any other: the 14-day cooling-off window and the five-working-day completion standard under the Energy Switch Guarantee1. The exit fee position matters most for homes part-way through a fixed term, since leaving outside the final 49 days can carry a charge1. Uswitch's own caveat is that collective deals are often, but not always, the cheapest available1.
What happens next
The winning tariffs have not been announced in the guidance reviewed. Uswitch has not reported the date on which winning tariffs will be published, nor the suppliers or rates involved. Households that registered retain the option to take a winning tariff but are not obliged to1.
Sources1 cited
- The Great Energy Savings Switch FAQs - Uswitch, uswitch.com