Energy Ombudsmen across the country are receiving more complaints about power bills than ever before: up 43 per cent to almost 100,000 across Australia in just twelve months.

People on fixed incomes, like pensioners, retirees and the disabled, have been hit the hardest.

Lachlan Harris from One Big Switch has found that in some states people just don't know that they can save by changing providers.

• Friction over power prices
• Why are we paying more for power?
• New wave of bill shock

"Most people who switch, especially in Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales save around $300 on average," Harris said.

"It's literally impossible to over-exaggerate how bad the price rise crisis is in Australia. I think we have three states in Australia in the top ten most expansive electricity markets in the world."

According to Harris "if you're not getting a fifteen to eighteen per cent discount, you are getting ripped off."

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Jackie Michael was living with her mother when she copped her latest bill of $1244. They hardly use much power, but the bills keep rising.

"What are you supposed to do? How are you supposed to pay it," she asked.

In the most expensive state in the land, if not the world - South Australia - the average power bill is $2182 a year. A discount of 15.5 per cent (the negotiated discount calculated through One Big Switch) will save you a bit more than $308 a year.

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Victorians pay an average $1843 a year, but an 18.5 per cent discount will save $295.

New South Wales has average power bills of $2068, but the 16.5 per cent discount on offer will save you $301.

And while Queensland records average bills of $1950, a twelve per cent cut will give you $196.

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"It takes the edge off a lot of these tougher recent price rises. It doesn't reverse the problem and there is no silver bullet out there, but it makes a difference," Harris said.

"So don't pay one cent more than you have to."

• Victoria - 18 per cent
• New South Wales - 16.5 per cent
• South Australia - 15.5 per cent
• Queensland - 12 per cent

Find a cheaper energy provider and apply online to switch today with Moneyhound

• Essential Services Commission - www.esc.vic.gov.au
• Energy and Water Ombudsman Victoria - www.ewov.com.au
• Energy and Water Ombudsman Queensland - www.ewoq.com.au
• Energy and Water Ombudsman New South Wales - www.ewon.com.au
• Energy Ombudsman Tasmania - www.energyombudsman.tas.gov.au

This reporter is on Twitter at @RichoTT7