How much does YOUR energy supplier owe you? Online calculator reveals if you're in line for a refund - with average British family £215 in credit

Britons could beryllium owed a refund of hundreds of pounds from their vigor supplier – with a caller online calculator revealing whether you mightiness beryllium a enactment for a payout.

Customers crossed Britain are being urged to cheque their recognition equilibrium earlier the extremity of this period and assertion backmost wealth which is being hoarded by vigor companies.

Data from manufacture regulator Ofgem found vigor firms were sitting connected £3.3billion past twelvemonth from the millions of customers whose accounts person built up credit.

The mean household recognition equilibrium for fixed nonstop debit customers crossed the 12 months of 2024 was £215, though this was down from £233 crossed 2023.

The bulk of customers successful the UK wage for their vigor by nonstop debit and wage the aforesaid magnitude – an mean of £152 for a household – each month.

But vigor depletion is seasonal - meaning households physique up recognition successful summertime erstwhile they usage little energy, past usage this up successful wintertime erstwhile request is higher.

Experts accidental May is the champion clip to petition a refund, fixed it is the clip of twelvemonth erstwhile astir households should person the slightest recognition aft utilizing up the excess implicit winter.

Household money-saving instrumentality Nous.co suggests checking if your recognition equilibrium successful the period of May is much than 2 thirds of what you usually wage each month.

If this is the case, you are apt paying much than you request to, and are encouraged inquire for a refund oregon instruct your vigor supplier to trim your nonstop debit.

The calculator gives proposal connected by however overmuch your relationship should beryllium successful recognition - and, if it is implicit this level, who you should interaction to refund immoderate of the balance.

It besides advises erstwhile you should contact your supplier for a refund and inquire them to set the level of your nonstop debit.

Greg Marsh, household concern adept and main enforcement of Nous.co, said: 'No 1 should person a large recognition equilibrium built up successful their vigor relationship close now.

'Most suppliers won't automatically refund you if you've paid excessively much, and could beryllium unfairly holding connected to wealth that you're owed.

'If you've got a accepted metre and haven't submitted a speechmaking successful a while, you'll beryllium paying bills based connected estimates that could beryllium importantly retired aft an unusually mild winter.

'Energy companies cognize however hard it is to enactment connected apical of this stuff, and anticipation that we conscionable enactment up with paying much than we request to.

'That's precisely wherefore we started Nous – to instrumentality connected the load of staying connected apical of things and assistance radical debar falling unfortunate to these traps.'

Those who bash not person a astute metre are advised to nonstop regular metre readings to their supplier, truthful they person close accusation astir however overmuch vigor you usage astatine antithetic times of the year.

Failing to bash truthful means your supplier volition estimation your usage, which could permission you successful excessively overmuch recognition – oregon successful debt.

Some 48 per cent of UK households bash not taxable monthly metre readings and 11 per cent admit they ne'er taxable readings, according to Nous data.

But millions of astute meters are not working, meaning radical are being charged based connected estimated usage – which tin pb to overpaying by 100 of pounds.

If readings connected your measure are marked 'e', they are estimates and could beryllium wrong.

Those paying via nonstop debit who deliberation it is excessively precocious are advised against ditching it entirely, fixed it is the cheapest mode to wage for energy.

Customers who wage by modular recognition – currency oregon cheque – presently wage astir £100 per twelvemonth much than nonstop debit customers, according to Nous.