Families across East Renfrewshire could save a whopping £4.5million every year by switching away from the ‘Big Six’ energy companies.

That’s according to Bulb, a supplier of green energy, which says too many people are being hit in the pocket by expensive standard variable tariffs with the six companies.

In East Renfrewshire, it says the average electricity bill for Big Six customers is £788, while for gas the amount is £758. By switching to Bulb, that would reduce to £613 for electricity and £701 for gas.

Bulb co-founder and chief executive Hayden Wood said: “The Big Six have been taking advantage of families here for too long.

“There are a number of real alternatives now.”

The Big Six are SSE, EDF Energy, British Gas, npower, E.ON UK and Scottish Power.