Gas bills will rise by around 12% in July, but some consumers can still avoid the increase. Warning: we must act in the coming days.
The gas bills of 11 million French people will see a significant increase from July 1. However, some consumers can still reduce the bill, or even avoid this price increase entirely. Indeed, everything depends on the contract signed and the energy supplier.
The price of gas will rise by around 12% in a few days, adding to several other increases that have occurred since the start of the year. In January, the government doubled the excise tax on natural gas, leading to an increase of between 21 and 220 euros per year on consumers’ bills. In April, a new increase occurred, linked to the increase in the gas distribution tariff (ATRT) by 19% on average, resulting in an increase of around 17 euros per year for households.
With this new increase, the Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE) estimates that the price of gas will jump by 11.7%. Concretely, the average annual household bill will increase from 1,045 to 1,184 euros. This increase in prices is explained by the increase in Third Party Access to Distribution Networks (ATRD), a contribution paid by households and businesses so that gas is transported to them. However, by making the right choices, consumers can avoid this new blow to their budget.
In order to help consumers see things more clearly, the energy mediator has set up a benchmark price for gas. This indicator serves as a reference for subscribers to compare offers from different suppliers and to know if they are paying for their gas at a reasonable rate. For an average consumption of 14 megawatt hours, the benchmark price of gas is currently 1,537 euros.
According to the Energy Mediator’s online comparator, several suppliers offer offers allowing you to save on your annual gas bill. Among them, we find OHM energy (1,374 euros), Total Energie (1,455 euros), Happ-e (1,513 euros), and even EDF (1,518 euros). Concretely, even applying the 11.7% increase, these suppliers should remain the lowest on the market.
Finally, it is also possible to completely escape the increase in gas prices. To do this, consumers have a few days left to subscribe to a fixed price offer. With such contracts the price of gas remains unchanged for the entire duration of the contract, i.e. 1, 2 or 3 years. Clearly, with a fixed price offer, no increase in the price of gas is passed on to the customer.
However, it is important to read the terms of these contracts carefully. Some providers only guarantee a fixed price for the cost of the kilowatt hour, leaving the possibility of increasing the subscription price. Others specify that changes may be passed on if taxes or other contributions increase, which is the case with the increase in transmission rates planned for July.
