Whatever your reasons for seeking an energy switch – a desire to lock your prices in for a year with a fixed-rate deal for example, or simply to switch to a different supplier – it pays to find out whether you’re at risk of being told you cannot switch energy supplier or discovering another reason for a denied energy switch. Read on to find out those reasons might be and how to resolve them.
Common reasons for rejected energy switches
There are several reasons why you might be denied the energy switch you want. They include:
Your chosen supplier already supplies your energy
When you confirmed your energy switch, you may have accidentally selected the wrong current supplier. This most commonly happens in households where you have one supplier for your gas and a different supplier for your electricity – as opposed to a dual-fuel tariff where a single supplier provides both kinds of energy to your home.
Fix for supplier issue
Find out who currently supplies your gas and electricity. If you have different suppliers for your gas and electricity but want to do a dual-fuel switch, make sure you state who supplies which fuel type during your switch.
Meter information mismatch in National Database
Was your switch rejected because your meter information doesn’t match the information in the national database? Suppliers can access the meter details of households through a national database. This includes which meter belongs to which household, and the type of meter it is (such as an Economy 7 or prepayment meter). When the information submitted doesn't match the information that the supplier can see, the switch can't progress until the inconsistencies have been addressed.
Fix for meter information mismatch
First, check your electricity and gas meter numbers on both your latest bill and the meters themselves with the aid of our guide. If they don’t match, contact your current energy supplier to check with them the information that they hold about your household and its meter(s). Suppliers can update the national database, so if there's something that’s incorrect, you can amend it through them.
Your meter is registered as a business meter
Uswitch can only switch energy for domestic meters. Those with business meters don’t have access to the same deals as households. If you want to switch energy for a business, visit Uswitch for Business.
If you weren't aware that your property had a business meter, it could have been installed by the previous occupiers, or it may be listed incorrectly in the national database.
Fix for business meter address issue
In a case like this, the best course of action is to contact your current energy supplier (see below), so you can check the information it holds about your household and its meters. Suppliers are able to update the national database, so if there's something that isn't correct, you can get it amended through them.
If you find out you have a business meter in your property that you didn't know about, your supplier can also talk you through the options around having it changed.
Supplier doesn’t support your meter type
When switching through a price comparison website, you may find that the supplier you want to switch to doesn't support the meter you have. This is usually because certain price comparison websites do not support energy switching with Economy 10 or so-called white meters. On rare occasions it may be because you have a prepayment meter and need to switch to a credit meter.
Fix for an unsupported meter
You can always contact suppliers directly to see if they support your type of meter and can offer you a deal. However, if you would like access to a wider range of tariffs, you may be better off contacting your current supplier (see below) to discuss your options for changing your meter.
Switching compensation guaranteed standards explained
If you have any issues when completing your switch, your supplier may be obligated to compensate you for any inconvenience you experience. Ofgem made the Switching Compensation Guaranteed Standards a compliance requirement for suppliers in May 2019, with customers set to receive at least £30 per problem. The measure is designed to alleviate customers’ fears about something going wrong during their energy switch.
Find out more in our guide to your consumer rights.
How do I contact my energy supplier?
If you need to get in touch with your supplier to resolve any of the issues listed above, this is the information you need. If your supplier isn’t listed, or you want to contact them through different means, check out our more comprehensive guide to contacting your energy supplier.
| Supplier | Phone number |
|---|---|
| 100Green | Phone: 01920 486 156 |
| British Gas | Phone: 0330 808 3880 |
| Co-op Energy | Phone: 0808 164 1088 |
| Ecotricity | Phone: 0345 555 7 100 |
| EDF Energy | Phone: 03330 069 950 |
| E.ON Next | Phone: 0808 501 5088 |
| Good Energy | Phone: 0345 034 2400 |
| Octopus Energy | Phone: 0808 164 1088 |
| Outfox Energy | Phone: 0800 103 2702 |
| OVO Energy | Phone: 0330 303 5063 (Pay Monthly), 0330 175 9669 (Pay As You Go) |
| Sainsbury's Energy | Phone: 0808 501 5277 |
| ScottishPower | Phone: 0345 270 0700 |
| So Energy | Phone: 0330 111 5050 |
| Utilita | Phone: 03303 337 442 |
| Utility Warehouse | Phone: 0333 777 0777 |
