If you can’t pay your energy bill
Tell your supplier now, before the debt grows. They have to help, and there are rules about what they can and can’t do.
What your supplier has to do
Tell your supplier you can’t pay. They must help if you ask, for example by setting up a repayment plan or giving emergency credit.Source: Ofgem You can ask for a payment plan, a payment break or reduction, or a review of your payments and debt repayments.Source: Ofgem
- A payment plan must take into account what you can afford and your future energy use.Source: Citizens Advice
- You can ask to pause repayments for a short time. Your supplier must consider it, but doesn’t have to agree.Source: Citizens Advice
- Energy arrears are a priority debt: pay them before debts like credit cards.Source: Citizens Advice
- On certain benefits, you may be able to repay energy debt straight from your benefit through the Fuel Direct Scheme.Source: Citizens Advice
- In England and Wales, Breathing Space gives you temporary protection from creditors; in Scotland it’s a debt moratorium.Source: Ofgem
Prepayment meters
If you can’t afford to top up, your supplier must offer help, such as extra credit if you’re in a vulnerable situation. You pay it back later, at a rate you can afford.Source: Ofgem
Being moved onto prepayment without agreeing
Ofgem says this should always be a last resort.Source: Ofgem A supplier can only do it if you’re building up debt and other ways of paying it back haven’t workedSource: Ofgem, and:
- it must first try to agree another way to repay, make at least 10 attempts to contact you by different methods, and visit to check your situationSource: Ofgem
- it can’t do it where a child under 2 lives, or where everyone is 75 or over with no one else to support themSource: Ofgem, and it can’t if someone relies on a continuous supply for medical reasons or has a terminal illness or severe health conditionSource: Ofgem
- the person who visits should wear a body-worn camera or audio recorderSource: Ofgem
- afterwards, it must give you £30 creditSource: Ofgem
Forced onto prepayment between 1 January 2022 and 21 January 2023 without your supplier following the rules? You may be able to claim compensation.Source: Ofgem
The Debt Relief Scheme
Ofgem has proposed writing off energy debt for people on means-tested benefits with more than £100 of debt built up between April 2022 and March 2024.Source: Ofgem It isn’t running yet: when we checked on 7 October 2026, Ofgem’s consultation was closed and awaiting a decisionSource: Ofgem. We’ll update this when it launches. Don’t pay anyone who says they can get you onto it.
Free, independent help
- Citizens Advice’s free consumer service, 0808 223 1133, in England and WalesSource: Ofgem
- Help with your bills: the Warm Home Discount, Winter Fuel Payment, Cold Weather Payment and council help.
- Complaints, if your supplier isn’t following these rules.