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Ofgem Urges Households To Claim £240 Million Left In 1.9 Million Closed Energy Accounts

Missing contact details often block automatic refunds despite rules requiring a final bill within six weeks followed by payment within 10 working days.

Overview

  • Ofgem and Energy UK are asking people who moved in the past five years to check old accounts and contact former suppliers to recover unused credit.
  • The regulator says around 1.9 million closed accounts still hold balances built up over the past five years, often after customers moved home.
  • Energy UK reports that more than 90% of closed-account credit is returned automatically, with most remaining cases linked to outdated customer information.
  • Uswitch estimates the average unclaimed amount at about £126 per affected household, making potential refunds meaningful for many bill-payers.
  • To claim, customers should provide their full name, previous address, account number if known, switch details, and up-to-date contact information, while a separate Ofgem plan aims to clear £500 million of energy debt for about 195,000 people on means-tested benefits starting in phases early next year.