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What counts as an unfair increase?
Energy bills can rise for several reasons, including changes in market prices, fixed tariff end dates, or changes to your direct debit. Not every increase is unfair, even if it feels sudden or high.
A bill may be unfair if your supplier has billed you using wrong meter readings, added charges incorrectly, failed to explain a price change, or ignored a complaint about a suspected error. If you are on a fixed deal, any increase should match the terms you agreed to.
Your basic rights
Under UK consumer rules, your supplier must bill you accurately and treat you fairly. They should clearly explain charges, give you information about tariff changes, and respond properly if you say there is a problem.
You also have the right to challenge a bill you think is wrong. If the supplier has made a mistake, they should correct it and refund any overpayment.
What to do first
Check the bill carefully and compare it with previous ones. Look at your meter readings, tariff name, standing charges, and any direct debit changes.
If something looks wrong, contact your supplier straight away. Keep a record of all calls, emails, and letters, and ask for written confirmation of what they say.
If the supplier says the bill is correct
Ask them to explain how the bill was calculated. You can request a breakdown of the charges and ask for evidence if the bill is based on estimated readings.
If you think the meter is faulty, you can ask for it to be tested. In some cases, if the meter is shown to be inaccurate, the supplier must adjust your bills.
Help with complaints and disputes
If the supplier does not resolve the issue, make a formal complaint using their complaints process. They must handle complaints within a reasonable time and tell you what to do next.
If the problem is still not fixed after eight weeks, or if you receive a deadlock letter sooner, you can take the complaint to the Energy Ombudsman. The Ombudsman can order the supplier to apologise, correct the bill, or pay compensation.
Can you stop paying?
You should usually keep paying what you reasonably owe while the dispute is ongoing. However, if the amount is clearly wrong, tell the supplier you are disputing it and explain what you believe you should pay.
If you are struggling to afford the bill, contact the supplier as soon as possible. They must consider payment plans and may offer extra support if you are in financial difficulty.
Frequently Asked Questions
You may have the right to question the bill, request a full explanation, ask for meter and tariff checks, dispute incorrect charges, and seek backbilling limits or compensation if the supplier made an error.
Contact your supplier in writing, explain why the increase seems unfair, ask for a full breakdown, and request a review. Keep copies of all bills, readings, and messages as evidence.
Any domestic customer who believes their gas or electricity bill rose because of an error, inaccurate reading, incorrect tariff, faulty meter, or poor billing practice may be able to use these rights.
Keep meter readings, photos of the meter, past bills, tariff details, direct debit records, complaint emails, and any notes of phone calls. This helps show whether the increase was incorrect.
Yes. You can ask your supplier to inspect or test the meter if you think the bill is based on a faulty meter or inaccurate meter reading.
Yes. If a bill was estimated and looks too high, you can submit an actual reading and ask the supplier to recalculate the bill using correct data.
Ask the supplier to explain when the tariff changed, whether proper notice was given, and whether the correct tariff was applied. If the change was mishandled, request a corrected bill.
Backbilling rules may stop suppliers from charging for energy used more than 12 months ago if they failed to bill you properly and the delay was their fault.
You may be entitled to compensation or a goodwill payment if the supplier handled your account badly, made billing mistakes, ignored complaints, or caused avoidable inconvenience.
Ask for the calculation behind the new direct debit amount, request a review based on actual usage, and challenge any increase that is not supported by your consumption or billing history.
You should usually pay the undisputed part of the bill to avoid debt problems, but you can formally dispute the unfair portion and ask the supplier to pause recovery while it is reviewed.
Suppliers should usually respond within a reasonable time, often around 8 weeks for a formal complaint before you can escalate to an ombudsman or other dispute process.
Yes. If the supplier does not resolve the complaint, you can usually escalate it to the energy ombudsman or the relevant dispute resolution body after following the supplier's complaints process.
Report the issue to your supplier and ask for a check of the smart meter, communications, and billing data. If the smart meter failed or sent wrong readings, the bill should be corrected.
Yes. Vulnerable customers, including older people, disabled people, and those with health conditions or financial hardship, may get priority support, extra time to resolve issues, and tailored repayment options.
You can ask for meter readings, tariff history, billing calculations, account notes, direct debit reviews, and any evidence relied on to justify the increase.
Often yes, but you should first resolve any disputed charges and make sure your final meter reading is accurate. Switching does not remove your right to challenge an unfair bill.
Ask the supplier to correct the reading, recalculate the bill, and refund any overpayment. Provide your own meter photo or recent actual reading if possible.
Yes. The same basic billing rights and complaint steps can apply to gas, electricity, or both if the increase was caused by an error or unfair billing practice.
Submit regular meter readings, check bills promptly, review tariff changes, keep account details up to date, and question any sudden increase as soon as you notice it.
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