Millions of households due back an average of £117 each from their energy firm – are you a refund?
If you've overpaid for gas and electricity then you could be due a refund
MILLIONS of British households could claim an average of £117 for energy they have paid for but did not use over the winter, according to new research.
More than 11 million households, or 42 per cent, are in credit to their energy companies, and nearly one in 10 could reclaim more than £200.
Just 14 per cent of consumers - around 3.7 million households - have emerged from winter in debt to their supplier, a survey for the price comparison site USwitch.com found.
Under Ofgem regulations, consumers are entitled to any credit on request, as long as they have provided up-to-date meter readings.
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But while households could reclaim £1.3 billion in total, 38 per cent of consumers plan to leave their money in their account to cover price hikes.
Almost a third of customers say they will struggle to pay higher energy bills, while more than one in five say increases of £100 or more will force them into debt.
Millions of households paying by direct debit overpaid for their energy this winter as a result of warmer temperatures and steps to cut bills, according to uSwitch.
HOW TO GET A REFUND IF YOU'VE OVERPAID
TAKE a look at your latest energy bill, it should tell you if you're in credit to your gas and electricity supplier.
If you think you're due a refund then speak to your supplier to claim it back.
Most of the big six - British Gas, EDF Energy, E.ON and Scottish Power - refund customers automatically.
British Gas and EDF Energy do this every 12 months, from the anniversary to the date you took out your direct debit.
E.ON will refund any credit higher than £5 and Scottish Power any credit in excess of £75.
If your supplier refuses to refund you and you don't agree with the reasons given to you, you can ask the Energy Ombudsman to investigate.
Two-thirds of customers took some form of action to cut their bills, such as turning down the thermostat, turning down individual radiators and setting the heating to come on for less time every day.
The Tory election manifesto is expected to include a promise to cut around £100 from energy bills by capping prices for the seven out of 10 households on standard variable tariffs.
Claire Osborne, uSwitch energy spokeswoman, said: "Under Ofgem rules, providers must repay any credit on request, so now is the time to read your meter, update your account and reclaim what you're owed.
"Consumers who are building up credit to soften the blow of price hikes should instead consider reclaiming this money and switching to a cheaper deal.
"With an average credit refund of £117 and savings of over £350 by switching supplier, it could be a very effective way to control spiralling energy bills."
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