David Cameron and the energy secretary, Chris Huhne, met with the "Big Six" energy companies as part of a "winter call to action".

And the result? "We can go forward to this winter with some confidence that we can get people switching more", Huhne said after the meeting.

Yes, the main advice put forward is to shop around for the best deals. We’ve cut down on that over the last year. Only 15% of households switched gas suppliers and 17% switched electricity suppliers in 2010, compared to 20% and 19% respectively in 2007.

Now seems to be a good time to look beyond the Big Six. There are plenty of other suppliers out there that can help you save energy as well as money; many of them pursuing a green agenda.

Why not check out Good Energy, Ebico (the UK’s only not-for-profit energy supplier), Ovo Energy (the top ranked energy supplier in the 2010 Which? customer satisfaction survey), and Ecotricity, which reinvests profits into clean energy such as wind power.

And, as the days get colder, it’s a good idea to make sure your home is insulated, both in cavity walls and lofts. Many of the companies will be writing to you offering free or heavily discounted insulation. Take advantage while you can.

[Image: Chris Huhne by NCVO]