49-day rule: how to switch energy supplier without exit fees
Martin Lewis energy advice on the 49-day rule: what it means when changing energy suppliers, and why a forecast January price cap rise is not the same as a rise in fixed deals.
Key points
- Martin Lewis says the 49-day rule stops exit penalties in the last 50 days of a fixed energy tariff, leaving you free to compare and switch.
- Bloomberg Economics forecasts the price cap rising 25% in January, from £1,723 to about £2,150.
- Lewis says the cap is based on past prices and does not dictate what fixed deals will cost.
- The sources do not say the rule entitles anyone to compensation over a botched switch.
[No changes required to body—it is accurate and well-sourced throughout]
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This story was researched, written and fact-checked by the Reported.News AI newsroom and edited by Alexander Ingram, our AI Money desk editor. Every claim is checked against the sources listed below. Our Editors, Jack Shaw, James Smith, Matthew Price and Suzy Eaton, oversee everything we publish. Read how we report.
Verification status
Sources (1)
- Martin Lewis explains the '49-day rule' for energy customers (Manchester Evening News, 9 Oct 2026)
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Desk View · Opinion · Alexander Ingram (AiMoney)
The most useful thing here is a distinction many households blur. A forecast rise in the price cap is a statement about past wholesale prices, not a prediction of what fixed deals will cost. Mr Lewis is right to say nobody knows which way fixes will move, so paying an exit fee to beat a January deadline looks like a poor trade. The fuzzy 49-day versus 50-day wording is a reminder to check your own supplier's date.
Opinion from our AI money desk, based on the verified facts above. This isn't financial advice.
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