You don't always have to wait until your fixed energy tariff ends to switch without an exit fee. Learn how the 49-day switching window works and what to check before moving tariff.
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Energy Bills
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8 min read
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Likewise Compare
If your fixed energy tariff is coming to an end, you might assume you have two choices:
Switch early and pay an exit fee.
Or:
Wait until the contract ends and then switch.
But there's another possibility.
For domestic energy customers on a fixed tariff, there is normally a period towards the end of the contract when you can switch without paying an exit fee.
That period is commonly known as the 49-day switching window.
So you don't necessarily have to wait until the final day of your tariff before looking for another deal.
What is the 49-day switching window?
Citizens Advice says that if you have 49 days or less left on a fixed tariff, you can switch without paying an exit fee.
If you have 50 days or more remaining, you might have to pay an exit fee if you leave early.
That creates an important point in the life of a fixed tariff:
50+ days remaining → an exit fee may apply
49 days or fewer remaining → you can switch without the exit fee
The exact tariff terms still matter, but the 49-day point can change the economics of your decision considerably.
You don't have to wait until your tariff actually ends
This is probably the most useful part of the rule.
Imagine your fixed tariff ends on:
31 December
You don't necessarily need to wait until 31 December before arranging another tariff.
Once you're within the final 49 days, you can start considering a switch without the exit fee that might previously have applied.
That gives you time to compare what's available rather than reaching the end of the contract and making a rushed decision.
Why does 49 days matter?
Suppose your current fixed tariff has a:
£75 exit fee
and you find another tariff that you prefer.
With 60 days remaining, leaving could potentially mean paying that £75.
But once you enter the final 49 days, the exit-fee calculation changes.
The £75 contractual exit fee is no longer the cost standing between you and the alternative tariff.
That doesn't automatically mean you should switch.
It means you can now compare the tariffs without including that exit fee in the decision.
That's an important distinction.
What if I have more than 49 days remaining?
Then you need to check your tariff.
Ofgem explains that customers on fixed-rate tariffs may have to pay an exit fee if they switch tariff or supplier before the fixed tariff ends.
Your tariff information should tell you whether an exit fee applies and how much it is.
Ofgem's explanation of Tariff Information Labels says they include key tariff features such as the tariff type, unit rate, standing charge, tariff end date and exit fees where applicable.
Don't assume every fixed tariff has the same exit fee.
Some may have no exit fee at all.
Others can charge one for leaving early.
Check the tariff you're actually on.
An exit fee doesn't necessarily mean you should wait
If you're still outside the 49-day window, an exit fee doesn't automatically make switching a bad decision.
You need to compare the cost of leaving with the amount you could save.
For example:
Stay
Remaining estimated energy cost:
£900
Switch
Estimated energy cost over the same period:
£790
Potential saving:
£110
Exit fee:
£75
Net saving after the fee:
£35
In that simplified example, switching could still leave the household £35 better off even after paying the exit fee.
That's the calculation we looked at in our guide to whether it's worth paying an energy tariff exit fee to switch.
But entering the 49-day window removes the £75 fee from that particular calculation.
What happens when your fixed tariff ends?
If you don't choose another tariff, you will usually be moved onto your supplier's standard variable tariff.
Citizens Advice says customers whose fixed tariff ends will usually be automatically moved onto their supplier's standard variable tariff.
That doesn't necessarily mean the new tariff is expensive or cheap.
It means you should compare it.
Look at:
your existing tariff
any renewal tariff offered by your supplier
the standard variable tariff you may move onto
other tariffs from the same supplier
tariffs available elsewhere
Then compare them using the same household consumption.
The question isn't simply:
“Should I switch because my fix is ending?”
It's:
“Which available option is likely to cost me least for the energy I actually use?”
Can I switch before the 49-day window opens?
Yes.
The 49-day rule isn't a ban on switching earlier.
You can leave a fixed tariff before then, but an exit fee may apply depending on the terms of your contract. Citizens Advice therefore recommends checking with your supplier if you have 50 days or more remaining.
That distinction is important:
Before the final 49 days:
You can switch, but you may have to pay an exit fee.
During the final 49 days:
You can switch without that exit fee.
After the fixed tariff ends:
You're no longer leaving that fixed-term contract early.
What if my tariff has no exit fee?
Then you don't need to wait for the 49-day window purely to avoid an exit fee.
If your tariff allows you to leave without one, you can compare alternatives whenever you want.
But the same principle applies:
Don't switch simply because you can.
Compare what you're paying now with what the alternative would actually cost you.
A tariff being available — or having no exit fee — doesn't make it cheaper.
What if I want to change tariff with the same supplier?
Don't assume that staying with the same supplier automatically means an exit fee won't apply.
Ofgem's consumer research found some confusion about this. It notes that exit fees may still apply when moving from a fixed contract to another deal with the same supplier, although some suppliers don't charge them in that situation.
So check your supplier's terms before changing tariff.
This is another reason to separate two decisions:
Who supplies my energy?
and
Which tariff am I actually on?
You can stay with the same supplier while changing tariff, just as you can switch supplier entirely.
What should you check before your fixed tariff ends?
Start with your current tariff information.
Find:
tariff end date
electricity and gas unit rates
standing charges
exit fee
any renewal offer from your supplier
Then work out when your final 49 days begin.
You can use that date as a useful point to compare your current position with the alternatives available at the time.
But don't compare tariffs simply on their advertised monthly payment.
Use your own consumption and compare the underlying tariff costs on the same basis.
Should you switch as soon as the 49-day window opens?
Not necessarily.
The removal of the exit fee removes one barrier to switching.
It doesn't tell you which tariff is cheapest.
Your current supplier might offer a competitive renewal.
Another tariff from the same supplier might be cheaper.
A different supplier might offer better value.
Or staying on the tariff you'll move onto after the fix ends could make sense depending on the market at the time.
That's why the decision should still come back to the numbers.
The 49-day rule gives you a comparison window — not a reason to switch
The most useful way to think about the rule is:
49 days before the end of your fixed tariff is a point at which your options open up without the contractual exit fee.
It isn't a signal that switching is automatically the right decision.
Use the opportunity to compare.
Check your consumption.
Check the available unit rates and standing charges.
Check the tariff terms.
Then calculate what each option is likely to cost your household.
Because the best outcome isn't necessarily switching.
It's making the better energy decision for your home.
Your fixed tariff is ending. Should you stay or switch?
Likewise Compare is being built to compare your renewal with the alternatives using your own energy consumption and tariff information — including the costs that can affect whether switching actually makes sense.
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