The short answer

The cheapest quoted interval is not your annual electricity price. What matters is the price when you actually consume.

Know what changes

Dynamic tariffs expose the energy component to changing market prices. Read the supplier’s pricing formula and billing interval rather than assuming every offer works the same way. Check the required metering arrangements with the supplier and meter operator.

Measure useful flexibility

List consumption that can realistically move, such as some vehicle charging. Separate it from demand you cannot shift. A heat pump or battery does not automatically make a tariff worthwhile; operating constraints and comfort still matter.

Compare the complete bill

Include fixed charges, supplier fees, metering costs and any automation needed. Test your actual interval consumption against a plausible range of prices, not just cheap examples. Ask how you will see price changes, what happens during expensive periods and how you can leave the contract.

A practical next step

Use your own consumption profile to compare a conventional offer and a dynamic one over the same period, with all charges included.

Sources & further reading

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