Energy bill

I left the energy supplier Pure Planet in late August, and went to the energy supplier Utility Point.  It was £800 at pure planet for all of my energy (both electricity and gas) but that was due to go up to £960 at Utility Point.  A steep price increase of 960/800 = 1.2 or 20% increase, but energy prices have soared in the past year and that can't be helped.

However, utility point have just gone bust (I'd signed up for 12 months fixed price for a year about five weeks ago).  So, that plan is no longer valid and I have to make a new plan with a new supplier.  I've just calculated what my total cost would be if I switched today.  Sainsburys energy supplier is the cheapest, and would have an annual cost of £1207!  That's a 51% increase.  £406 extra a year, £33.84 extra a calendar month, £7.81 extra a week!

But it doesn't end there.  I can't switch today; apparently when energy companies go bust you shouldn't do anything yourself as they switch for you .  This is a process that takes many weeks.  And they specifically say don't switch yourself as it causes confusion in the system. So I have to wait for weeks, and energy prices keep rising continually at the moment, especially gas.  And it gets even worse.  The higher prices will also increase food prices.  So, how much extra is it finally going to cost me??  Goddess knows.

This is a nightmare.  Although it's not only affecting me of course.  But poor people will be seriously struggling.  In fact, with National Insurance rises and the Universal credit uplift ending (£20 a week being taken off 6 million people in the UK), many poor people won't know what's hit them.  It's going to be chaos.

Edited to add 3.51pm:  Scratch all that.  There's been another huge price increase in the past 3 hours since I typed the above.  Sainsburys was £1207 for me for a year.  In the past 3 hours it's increased to £1,462.29 per year.  Yet another increase per annum of £254.95 in the past 3 hours since posting the above!

I've also received an email saying I've been switched to EDF.  Cannot find out the tariff, even when speaking to customer services.  But their tariff was £1400 for a 3 year fix.  79% higher than last year so wanted to switch but was told it might cause confusion.  I dithered and now energy has undergone another huge hike.