Don't worry, energy bills can be very confusing, sometimes it's hard to decipher exactly how much you're paying.

What to do if you think you’ve been charged too much for your energy:

If your bill has suddenly gone up and you weren’t expecting it, it’s worth finding out why it’s happened.

People that pay bills….

When is it acceptable to turn on your heating?

— Karl 🇯🇲🇯🇲 (@That_London_Guy) September 11, 2025

There are several reasons why your bill might be higher than expected.

According to the Citizens Advice Bureau, it might be because:

• you’ve been sent an estimated bill that is wrong
• your energy supplier has put their prices up
• you’re being charged for the wrong meter
• your meter is faulty
• your energy supplier has made a mistake and overcharged you

Every time you receive a bill, do a meter reading.

Don't rely on your energy provider's estimate – these are often way out. If they're under-billing, you'll have a big whack to pay at the end of the year. If they're over-billing, then they've unfairly got your cash.

If your Direct Debit is way off-kilter, call up and request it's changed.

Check how to understand your bills on the Centre for Sustainable Energy website .

How to Save Money on Your Energy Bill

Check if your energy supplier has put their prices up

Your supplier will usually let you know if their prices change, but it depends on your contract.

You can check to see if the price they charge you has gone up by comparing your recent bills.

If you’re on a standard variable tariff the price you pay can go up or down every three months. 

If you aren’t sure if your energy supplier has put their prices up, contact them and ask.

If your supplier has made a mistake and overcharged you 

If you’ve checked the other possible reasons and you still think your energy bill is too high, your supplier might have made a mistake.

You should tell your supplier why you think you’ve been overcharged. 

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Make a complaint 

Contact the supplier to tell them you think you've been overcharged. Give them all the information you have and send in photos of your meter readings as proof.

Make sure you keep all the messages you send to the supplier and their replies - you might need them.

If you can’t reach an agreement with your supplier, the next step is to contact the Energy Ombudsman. The Energy Ombudsman is independent and will examine the case from both sides to reach a decision they think is fair.