If you pay your energy bill by direct debit, you might end up being ‘in credit’ with your supplier - this means that they owe you money.
The amount you pay each month is an estimate based on how much energy your supplier thinks you’ll use over the whole year. You’ll sometimes be owed money because you’ve used less energy than you’ve paid for.
Your supplier might:
refund any money owed to you at the end of the year
pay the amount back by reducing your direct debit payments
If they don’t, you might want to claim back the credit.
When to claim
You can claim credit at any time. But you should probably leave money on your account during summer and autumn to cover higher energy costs in winter.
Before claiming back any money, think about:
whether you’re likely to have higher energy bills in the months ahead
if it will be difficult to pay your bills without keeping the credit on your account
If the amount you’re owed is more than the amount you pay as a monthly direct debit, you might want to claim back the difference.
Your August bill shows that your account is £70 in credit after paying for energy for that month. Your next monthly direct debit is £40. You ask for a £30 refund from your supplier, because you’ll have enough to cover higher winter costs without owing money at the end of the year.
How to claim
Contact your supplier and tell them how much credit you’d like them to refund you. Their contact details should be on your bill or online account.
You’ll need to give them an up-to-date meter reading. Check how to read your gas or electricity meter if you’re not sure.
Your supplier might not give you a refund if they have a good reason. For example, they might not give you a refund if you only have a small amount of credit on your account during summer. This is because you’re likely to need the credit for your higher bills during autumn and winter.
If your supplier says they won’t give you a refund, they must explain their decision.
If your supplier has gone bust
You can still claim back credit.Your new supplier will contact you to tell you how you can claim back credit.
Check what to do when your energy supplier goes bust.
Further help
Contact the Citizens Advice consumer helpline if you need more help - a trained adviser can give you advice over the phone, online chat or by email.
If you’re struggling to pay your energy bills or top up your prepayment meter you might be able to get extra help. Check if you can get grants and benefits to help pay your energy bills.
