This information applies to England, Wales and Scotland
There are many companies who can supply you with electricity.
You can find a list of companies which supply electricity in your area on the website of the consumer watchdog, Consumer Focus at: 
www.consumerfocus.org.uk.
All electricity suppliers must have a licence from the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem). One of the licence conditions is that an electricity supplier must produce codes of practice on:-
Although these codes are not legally binding, the electricity company should stick to them. You can ask your electricity company for a copy of the codes. It could be useful to know what the codes say if you have a disagreement with the electricity company, for example about an electricity bill or changing a supplier. If an electricity company doesn't stick to the codes, you can make a complaint -see under heading Complaints.
In most circumstances, an electricity company must agree to supply you with electricity if you ask to sign up to a contract.
They can refuse to supply electricity if:
If you are refused a supply of electricity, get advice from Consumer Direct - see under heading Useful organisations.
You can change your electricity supplier if you want to. If you are thinking about changing to another supplier, bear in mind that prices, policies and services offered by the different suppliers will vary. You should carefully check the information and contracts of the different suppliers and compare these to your current electricity supplier to make sure that you choose the best deal for your needs.
You can check the most up-to-date fuel prices on the Consumer Focus website at: www.consumerfocus.org.uk. You can also check the Consumer Focus website for a price comparison fact sheet, or use online price comparison websites which make it easy to compare and switch suppliers. You can find a list of the price comparison websites on the Consumer Focus website.
Dual fuel is the supply of gas and electricity by the same supplier. Most gas and electricity suppliers are licensed to supply customers with both fuels. Some electricity suppliers will supply both fuels under one contract, while others will give one contract for gas and another for electricity.
Suppliers who make dual offers will often give a discount off the total bill.
For more information about how to find the best fuel deal for you, visit the Consumer Focus website at: www.consumerfocus.org.uk.
For information about gas supply, see Gas supply.
When a gas company sells you electricity, it must stick to certain standards.
Most suppliers have signed up to a code of practice produced by the Association of Energy Suppliers (AES). Sales agents must follow the guidelines in the code. The guidelines cover all methods of selling electricity, including door-to-door sales (doorstep selling) and telephone sales (distance selling). Some of the guidelines included in the code of practice are:
If the sales agent doesn't follow the guidelines, you may be entitled to compensation. If you have a complaint about the way you have been sold electricity, you should take this up first with the company concerned. Ask them for a copy of the code of practice and use the information in this to help you make your complaint.
If you can't reach an agreement with the electricity company, you can make a complaint – see under heading Complaints.
If you sign a contract to buy electricity from someone who has called at your home, you may have the right to cancel the contract if you change your mind. You will be able to cancel the contract as long as you cancel within seven days of signing it. This is regardless of whether you invited the sales agent to call at your home.
For more information about your rights to cancel a contract signed in your home, see Services bought in a doorstep-sale in Buying services – your rights.
If you sign a contract to buy electricity over the phone, you may also have the right to change your mind.
For more information about your rights to cancel a contract you've entered into over the phone, see Services bought by distance sale in Buying services – your rights.
When you move to a new home, you should tell the new electricity supplier the date on which you wish to take over the supply.The electricity supplier may be your current electricity supplier, or you may wish to change to a different supplier when you move.You may have to change if your current electricity supplier does not supply electricity in the area to which you have moved.
If you want to cancel your contract with your current electricity supplier, you have to give them at least two days notice. If you don't do this, they can continue to charge you for electricity, even if you have moved out of the property.
Your electricity supplier can also object to you changing to another supplier in other circumstances, for example, if you are in arrears.
You should cancel any standing orders or direct debits once you have paid the final bill to your current electricity supplier.
Your current and new electricity suppliers will want a final meter reading taken on the day you change electricity suppliers. Some electricity suppliers will send a meter reader and may make a charge for this, while others will ask you to read the meter and send the reading to them. In either case, you should keep a note of the meter reading yourself in case there is a dispute later.
You must give your new electricity supplier the supply number for the meter at your home.The supply number is an identification number for the meter and is shown on the bill relating to the meter.If you are moving home, you will have to ask the present occupiers for the supply number.
If the supply of electricity has to be reconnected, the electricity supplier may make a charge for reconnection. Consumer Direct (see under heading Useful organisations) can advise on whether a charge should be made and what is a reasonable amount.
For information and advice about changing to a new electricity supplier, go to the Consumer Focus website at: www.consumerfocus.org.uk. The Consumer Focus website can provide information on what to check if you want to change suppliers and a list of local electricity suppliers. You can also get price comparison factsheets.
If you have an electricity debt, you may not be accepted by a new supplier.
If you've owed the money for less than 28 days, for example, you haven't paid a recent bill, you will still be able to change supplier. The money you owe will be transferred to your new supplier.
You will also be allowed to change supplier if you use a prepayment meter and have a debt of up to £100. Your debt will be transferred to your new supplier. For more information about changing your supplier when you have a debt, contact Consumer Direct – see under heading Useful organisations.
Most customers will have a credit meter (see below) and receive regular bills.However, in some circumstances the electricity supplier may refuse to supply until you have provided suitable security.The electricity supplier should first ask you to agree to a prepayment meter being fitted (see below).Only if you refuse a prepayment meter should the electricity supplier ask for alternative security, but will normally ask you to do one of the following:-
The most common circumstances where an electricity supplier may require security are where you are a new customer and cannot provide proof of your identity or previous address or have a poor payment record at your present or last address.
If you provide a guarantor, the guarantor will be legally responsible for paying your electricity bills if you do not pay. Before signing as a guarantor, you should check the terms of the contract with the supplier and get an estimate of how much the bills are likely to be.
The electricity supplier can only request a reasonable amount as a security deposit.Guidance is given in the licence conditions on the amount a deposit should be.It is usually up to one and a half times the average amount of a quarterly bill.
If you think that the amount of the deposit is unreasonable, for example, because you only use a small amount of electricity, you should take the matter up with the electricity supplier. If you are still not satisfied you can make a complaint - see under heading Complaints.
If you have problems getting an electricity supply, or it is going to be stopped, consult an experienced adviser, for example, a Citizens Advice Bureau. To search for details of your nearest CAB, including those that can give advice by e-mail, click on nearest CAB.
There are various different meters which fall into two main types:-
Most customers will have a credit meter and will receive bills four times a year.This is known as quarterly billing.The electricity supplier will call to read the meter at regular intervals or contact the customer and ask them to read the meter and pass on the reading. The meter must be read at least once every two years. The customer can pay the bill in a number of ways (see under heading Electricity bills).
If you have difficulty paying for your electricity, you can ask for a prepayment meter to be installed. If you're in arrears, you should be offered a prepayment meter as an alternative to disconnection.
You can ask for a prepayment meter if you're not in arrears, but you may have to wait until one becomes available.
In most areas, electronic prepayment meters are the only available prepayment meter option.
The main types of prepayment meters are:
The electricity supplier will give you a list of the places you can get the card, token or key charged, which may include vending machines. The meter will record the amount of electricity used.
The advantages of using a prepayment meter are:
There are several disadvantages to using a prepayment meter. These include:
When the electricity supplier comes to read the meter you should, if possible, read the meter yourself to confirm the accuracy of the reading.
You must allow access to the meter whenever this is needed by the electricity supplier.For example, if you build kitchen cupboards around the meter and the cupboards have to be dismantled for the electricity supplier to replace the meter, you will be responsible for the cost of replacing the cupboards.
If the electricity supplier has been unable to gain access to read the meter they may leave a card for you to fill in with your own reading, or contact you to ask you for the meter reading.
A customer who is disabled, chronically sick or of pensionable age can ask the electricity supplier to read their meter every three months if neither they, nor anyone else in the household, can do so.However, the bill will be estimated if the electricity supplier cannot gain access.
Under the electricity supplier’s code of practice, a customer who is disabled, chronically sick or of pensionable age can get information and advice about:-
Information and advice, and resiting of the meter, must be provided free of charge. They may also be able to provide special controls or adaptors for the meter or appliances, free of charge.
For more information about services for customers who are disabled, chronically sick or of pensionable age, see under heading Free services for older people, disabled people and people with long-term ill-health.
If you believe that the meter reading given on your bill is wrong, you should take your own reading.If this shows that the meter has been misread, you should inform the electricity supplier of the correct reading and a revised bill will be sent.If your own reading shows that the meter was read correctly, the meter may be faulty and the matter should be reported to the electricity supplier.
If you have had an estimated reading, you should read the meter yourself.You can either contact the electricity supplier on the telephone number on the bill, or return the bill, to give your meter reading.An adjusted bill will then be sent.
In some cases, if your house has been divided into flats, there may be a mix-up over the meters. Check with your supplier that the serial number on your meter matches the one that the bill relates to.
The electricity supplier may disconnect your electricity supply by removing the meter if it has sufficient evidence that you have tampered with your meter.To prevent disconnection, you must convince the electricity supplier you did not tamper with the meter, and took proper care of the meter.
If you are suspected of tampering with a meter you should seek the help of an experienced adviser, for example, a Citizens Advice Bureau.To search for details of your nearest CAB, including those that can give advice by email, click on nearest CAB.
Electricity bills will be sent to you at regular intervals.
If you are visually or hearing impaired, your electricity supplier can provide bills in a suitable format for you, for example in Braille or via textphone.
In some circumstances, you can arrange for your bills to be sent to someone else, like a carer, so they can help you read and check them – see under heading Free services for older people, disabled people and people with long-term ill health.
The standing charge is a fixed daily amount charged to electricity users, regardless of how much electricity is consumed. There are different charges for credit and prepayment meters.
Your electricity supplier may offer you the option of not paying a standing charge, but paying a slightly higher rate for the electricity used instead. You would need to work out, from your bills, whether this option would be cheaper for you.
Electricity suppliers must provide a variety of ways for you to pay your bill if you have a credit meter.The minimum requirement is that an electricity supplier must allow you to pay by cash, cheque, postal order or monthly direct debit.Your electricity supplier may also offer other payment methods.Some electricity suppliers will give a discount if you pay by a particular method.
The electricity supplier will normally allow the bill to be paid:-
If you cannot afford to pay the electricity bill in full when it arrives you may wish to consider:-
If an electricity company has failed to send out a bill, they aren't allowed to bill you for any amount which dates back longer than a year. However, this only applies if you have tried to contact them to arrange payment and have not obstructed any attempt by the company to read your meter or to resolve queries over billing.
You should ask your electricity supplier for information about the payment schemes which are available.Some electricity suppliers offer a discount to customers who pay their bills by direct debit, standing order or by a flexible payment or budget scheme.You should check carefully the terms of the payment schemes your electricity supplier offers.The most common regular payment plans are:-
Your annual use of electricity is estimated, usually based on previous consumption, and you pay this amount by equal instalments throughout the year.
If you use a fixed payment budget scheme, you must pay the agreed amount to the electricity supplier at the specified times, usually weekly, fortnightly or monthly.Depending on the electricity supplier’s scheme, you may be able to make the payments by post to the electricity supplier, at post offices, banks or other outlets.
At the end of the year you may have a balance owing or a credit. Any amount owed will be taken into account when calculating the next year’s instalments or, if large, will usually have to be paid.
If your direct debit has been increased by your supplier and you feel that the amount of the increase is unreasonable you may want to challenge the amount of the increase. You should ensure that your payments have been assessed on the amount of energy actually used and not estimated amounts. You should tell your supplier about any changes in your circumstances which may lead to a decrease in the amount of electricity you use.
The electricity supplier may offer a flexible payments scheme, which allows you to pay any amount at any time. You may find this is a useful payment option if your income is variable. Check carefully the terms of the scheme, for example, how the payments are worked out and what happens if you build up a credit or go into arrears.
Most electricity suppliers offer reduced rates to low-income or vulnerable customers, such as older people, or people with long-term ill health. These reduced rates are known as social tariffs.
Each supplier has its own set of rules about who qualifies for the reduced rates. For more information, contact your electricity supplier and ask for details of their social tariffs.
You may be able to reduce your future electricity bills by efficient use of electricity or insulating your home.All electricity suppliers must have a code of practice on using electricity efficiently.If you ask for it, the electricity supplier must also arrange for you to receive free of charge, from a suitably qualified person, advice on:-
You can also use the eligibility checker on the Consumer Focus website. This offers a customised search, based on your personal circumstances, to work out what grants, benefits, advice or assistance you may be able to get to help pay your electricity bills or make your home more energy efficient. Go to: www.consumerfocus.org.uk.
You may be able to reduce your electricity bills by changing your fuel supplier. You can find more information about changing your fuel supplier, from the website of the consumer watchdog, Consumer Focus at: www.consumerfocus.org.uk.
You can also:
www.est.org.ukFor more information about saving money on fuel costs, see Fuel costs and saving money.
If you have electricity arrears, you risk having your electricity supply cut off. However, it is very unusual to be disconnected if you fail to pay your electricity bills.
If you have electricity arrears, you may also have other debts which need to be dealt with. You should seek the help of an experienced adviser, for example, a Citizens Advice Bureau. To search for details of your nearest CAB, including those that can give advice by e-mail, click on nearest CAB.
An electricity supplier must follow standard licence conditions, one of which sets out how it deals with customers who have difficulty paying. An electricity supplier cannot issue a disconnection notice until at least 28 days after issuing a bill. You must be given at least seven days notice of disconnection. If you can't pay your bill, contact your supplier straight away. You should be offered an arrangement to pay off the arrears at a rate you can afford. If you can't afford to pay off the arrears in this way, they must offer to install a prepayment meter – see under heading Meters.
Some groups of customers may have extra protection from being disconnected. This may apply to you if you:
You can find more information about what steps a supplier must take before disconnecting you on the Consumer Focus website at: www.consumerfocus.org.uk, or contact Consumer Direct – see under heading Useful organisations.
If you have been disconnected, or are threatened with disconnection, and have not been able to sort things out with your electricity supplier, you should contact Consumer Direct on: 0845 404 0506.
Disconnection includes where something has gone wrong with your prepayment meter so that you're unable to make a payment or have made a payment but your electricity supply still isn't working.
Where appropriate, Consumer Direct will refer your case to the consumer watchdog Consumer Focus, who will take up your complaint with the electricity supplier.
A complaint about disconnection is considered a priority case and should be sorted out on the next working day after it has been referred to Consumer Focus. If you are on a prepayment meter, your electricity supply should be restored within three hours.
If you're still not happy with the way your complaint has been resolved, you can make a complaint to the Energy Ombudsman – see under heading Complaints.
The Home Heat Helpline offers advice on energy efficiency and fuel debts to low income consumers. The Helpline's advisers can help identify where free energy efficiency measures might be available and can also ensure that vulnerable customers are not at risk of fuel supply disconnection. You can contact the Home Heat Helpline on 0800 33 66 99.
Some energy suppliers have set up independent charitable trusts which give grants to some of their customers to help them pay for electricity arrears. You can also get grants to pay for gas arrears and other household bills.
For more information, visit www.edfenergytrust.org.uk or get the Utility Trusts and Schemes booklet from www.britishgasenergytrust.org.uk.
Free services are available from all electricity suppliers under the Priority Services Register scheme. Services are available to customers who:
Services which may be available, depending on your circumstances, include:
For more information or advice about free services under the Priority Services Register from your electricity supplier, visit the website of the consumer watchdog, Consumer Focus, at: www.consumerfocus.org.uk.
Practical advice is also available online on the website of the Energy Retail Association at: www.homeheathelp.org.uk. You can find:
If you have a complaint about your electricity supplier, you should first raise it with the electricity supplier.
However, the complaints process is different for customers who have been disconnected or are threatened with disconnection, or who are considered to be vulnerable. You should try to sort the problem out with your electricity supplier first but, if you get into difficulties, you should take your complaint to Consumer Direct.
If you have been disconnected or are threatened with disconnection, see under heading Arrears and avoiding disconnection. If you think you might be vulnerable, see under Complaining if you are vulnerable.
Your supplier must have a procedure for dealing with complaints. You should be able to get a copy of this procedure from your supplier's website. The procedure should include names and contact details of all available sources of independent help, advice and information.
If you need help or advice about making a complaint or dealing with your supplier, you can contact Consumer Direct – see under heading Useful organisations for contact details, or look on the back of your energy bill. However, Consumer Direct will not be able to handle your complaint for you.
You can make a complaint about any of the services or products provided by your electricity supplier. If you aren't happy with the way they have dealt with your complaint, you can also complain about this.
You can complain by phone, in person or in writing - including by email.
Once you have complained, your supplier must tell you the steps they will take to sort out your complaint how long those steps are likely to take. If you aren't happy with the way your supplier is handling your complaint, you can ask for an internal review.
If your supplier is unable to sort your complaint out to your satisfaction, they must tell you this in writing. This is called a letter of deadlock. Once you have been sent a letter of deadlock, if you want to take the complaint further, you can contact the Energy Ombudsman. If you have not been sent a letter of deadlock, you must wait at least eight weeks (twelve if your supplier joined the Energy Ombudsman Scheme after October 2008) before you can contact the Energy Ombudsman – see under Complaining to the Energy Ombudsman.
Some electricity consumers are considered to be vulnerable. This might apply to you if it would be unreasonable to expect you to make a complaint on your own because:
If you are vulnerable and you haven't been able to sort out your problem directly with your electricity supplier, you should contact Consumer Direct – see under heading Useful organisations for contact details or look on the back of your gas bill.
Where appropriate, Consumer Direct will refer your case to the consumer watchdog Consumer Focus, who will take up your complaint with the supplier.
You should get a response from your supplier within ten working days after your case was referred to Consumer Focus. The vast majority of complaints should be resolved within 35 working days.
If you're not satisfied with the way Consumer Focus has dealt with your complaint, you can complain to the Energy Ombudsman – see below.
You can complain to the Energy Ombudsman if you have been sent a letter of deadlock by your electricity supplier. If you have not been sent a letter of deadlock, you can make a complaint if your complaint to the electricity supplier has been going on for at least eight weeks and your supplier is one of the following companies:
If your supplier is not one of these companies, you must normally wait twelve weeks before you can complain to the Energy Ombudsman.
The Energy Ombudsman can investigate complaints brought by domestic customers and small business customers. A small business customer is one with either:
You must make your complaint to the Ombudsman within six months of the date of the letter of deadlock from your electricity supplier, if you got one. If you didn't get a deadlock letter, you can make a complaint to the Ombudsman at any time between eight weeks and nine months after the date you complained to your supplier, if your supplier is one of the companies mentioned earlier. If your supplier is not one of these companies, you have between 12 weeks and nine months to complain.
You can complain to the Energy Ombudsman by letter, fax, telephone or online.
The Energy Ombudsman will be able to arrange one of the following:
For contact details of the Energy Ombudsman, see under heading Useful organisations.
Consumer Focus is the consumer watchdog responsible for protecting the interests of electricity and gas consumers.
The Consumer Focus website has:
Go to: www.consumerfocus.org.uk.
Consumer Direct is a telephone and online consumer advice service, supported by the Office of Fair Trading and local authority Trading Standards services.
Consumer Direct can give you help and advice about energy issues. This includes advice on how to change your supplier as well as how to deal with your supplier if you have a complaint.
You can make a complaint about your electricity supplier to Consumer Direct if you have been disconnected, are threatened with disconnection or are considered to be a vulnerable customer.
The advice and information is free, but telephone calls to Consumer Direct are charged at 0845 prices.
Tel: 0845 404 0506
Website: www.consumerdirect.org.uk
If you have a complaint about your electricity supplier which you have not been able to sort out directly with your supplier, you can make a complaint to the Energy Ombudsman. You must have complained to your electricity supplier first.
The Energy Ombudsman also deals with complaints about gas suppliers.
You can contact the Energy Ombudsman at:
PO Box 966
Warrington
WA4 9DF
Tel: 0845 055 0760 or 01925 530263
Fax: 0845 055 0765 or 01925 530264
Textphone: 18001 0845 051 1513 or 18001 01925 430886
Email: enquiries@energy-ombudsman.org.uk
Website: www.energy-ombudsman.org.uk.
Ofgem is an independent regulatory body, set up by the government to promote competition and monitor and regulate the activities of companies in the gas and electricity industries. Ofgem also monitors suppliers' codes of practice and tries to ensure that the needs of vulnerable customers are met. They cannot deal directly with consumer complaints. Their Consumer Affairs team deal with enquiries about their policies. They can be contacted on: 020 7901 7295 or by email at: consumeraffairs@ofgem.gov.uk.
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