Frequently asked questions

Joining British Gas Evolve

What is British Gas Evolve?

British Gas Evolve is on a mission to make energy simple, green and easier on the wallet. We’re 100% online, fuss-free and easy to use – and our UK-based help teams are only a click away.

We’re a part of British Gas, but we’re doing things differently. And we’re always open to new ideas from you, our customers, to make things even better.

Who can use British Gas Evolve?

To join British Gas Evolve you’ll need to be switching your gas and electricity at the same time, pay by direct debit and have a standard meter. You can spread your payments out across the year. If you have a non-standard or prepayment meter please take a look at our other products on the British Gas website. To benefit from boiler cover you must own your home.

How does British Gas Evolve work?

Before you sign up for your plan, we’ll explain the key terms and conditions and we’ll give a 14 day cooling off period before we start your switch.

We’ll contact you within 5 days of agreeing the offer, and send you the link to your contract pack that includes your terms and conditions. Read all this information thoroughly.

Around 60 days before your contract is due to end, we’ll contact you with a renewal quote.

If you’d like to switch suppliers, you can do so at any time without penalty. We’ll ask you to send us an updated meter reading and pay off any bills when you switch.

If you don’t renew with us by the last day of your contract, we’ll put you onto our cheapest variable tariff. You can go back onto a Fixed Price Energy Plan at any time.

What's happened to British Gas X?

We first launched British Gas X as a trial in early 2020. And since then, we’ve learnt a lot. Like what works for our customers – and what doesn’t. So we decided it was time to take the next step with a brand-new look as British Gas Evolve.

But don’t worry, your tariff won’t change and neither will the price you pay for your energy. And we’re still doing what we do best – no-nonsense, sustainable energy that won’t break the bank.

Managing your energy account

How do I manage my British Gas Evolve account?

British Gas Evolve is an online-only product so you’ll need to log in to our dedicated online service to see your gas and electricity bills or account details. For help about your account contact us on webchat – you don't need to log in to chat to us.

To access your online account, use the unique link we send you in our emails. You can also log in using your password – if you don’t have one set up yet follow the on-screen instructions to set up your password.

What should I do if I have a problem logging in to manage my account?

If you can’t get into your account, try resetting your password from the log in page. Alternatively, contact us on webchat.

Can I change my payment method?

All British Gas Evolve contracts are set up for fixed Direct Debit – we’ll agree the amount when you join and we’ll review your payments and usage at least once a year to check you’re on track for paying for the energy you’re using. We can’t accept other payment methods for our British Gas Evolve products.

If you need to change your Direct Debit instruction, log in to your online account to speak to our webchat team, who will be happy to help.

How do I make a complaint?

If you want to make a formal complaint, we want to sort things out for you quickly. Take a look at our complaints handling process for information about how to complain and the steps we’ll take to solve your complaint.

British Gas Evolve is online only, what does that mean for me?

With British Gas Evolve, everything is done through our website or webchat. When you join, you’ll receive all the information you need to access your account. Your online account is where you manage your energy, including sending us your monthly meter reads and seeing your bills and payments. If you need help, our friendly advisors are available on webchat from Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm.

Can I use my British Gas app to manage my British Gas Evolve energy?

At present the British Gas app isn't compatible to use for your British Gas Evolve energy. To manage your British Gas Evolve energy, please log on to your account using our website.

How can I get my credit refunded?

We want to make sure your energy bills are manageable for you. So instead of claiming a refund, you can use the excess credit to reduce your monthly payments for future bills. However, if you would like your credit refunded please contact our friendly webchat team, who will be happy to help.

Webchat

What are the opening hours of webchat?

Our UK-based webchat team is open Monday to Friday 9am-5pm excluding bank holidays. Outside of these hours you can still access our website 24/7.

Who can I contact outside of opening hours?

If you have an energy emergency only, please contact your network operator – find out more about gas and electrical emergencies. For other queries, please contact us on webchat during our opening hours so we can help you.

What should I do if I’m experiencing issues with webchat?

If you are experiencing issues loading webchat try the following steps to correct the issue:

1. Check you have javascript enabled by clicking this link www.whatismybrowser.com or www.enable-javascript.com - the webpage will tell you whether javascript is enabled or not. Also check that you don't have any tools or settings blocking cookies on sites you visit. You must have cookies and javascript enabled to use our website.
2. Check you don’t have any extensions on your browser which may block content e.g. Adblock Plus, Disconnect, NoScript, Privacy Badger or uBlock Origin
3. On your desktop or laptop try completing a hard refresh by loading our webpage then click Ctrl + F5 simultaneously; the page will refresh, this may resolve any caching issues.
4. Try accessing webchat from another device or browser i.e. another laptop, tablet or mobile.
5. If you are using Firefox check to see if it is applying content blocking.
6. If you are using Internet explorer 11, please use an alternative browser such as Chrome.
7. You can talk to our dedicated webchat team by clicking on "Log in" or "Contact us" page, where you will find options to "Chat to an expert".

Who should I contact if I have no gas or electricity?

If you have an energy emergency, you don’t need to contact us on webchat. You should contact your network operator – find out more about energy emergencies.

Your smart meter

Why do I need to give you a meter reading if I have a smart meter?

We're working on our smart meter functionality, please bear with us, in the mean time we'll email you a reminder each month when we need a meter read. This will help us to bill you accurately.

Reading your smart meter should be simple – although how you do this does depend on the type of meter you have.

How do I read my smart meter?

Here's our gas smart meter how to guide.

Here's our electricity smart meter how to guide.

If the above instructions don't work, we recommend following your manufacturers instructions on how to read your smart meter. These are available on their websites.

Please take meter readings directly from your actual meter, rather than from your in-home display.

I have a smart meter, can I still have British Gas Evolve?

If you’ve got a smart meter you can still have British Gas Evolve as your supplier. We'll just need you to submit your meter readings, from your online account, each month.

Why is my Direct Debit changing?

Why is my Direct Debit amount changing when I have a fixed term contract?

Your unit rate and standing charge won’t change when you’re in a fixed-term contract. We routinely review the amount of energy you’re using so you don’t build up too much credit or debt on your account. If you are paying too much or too little each month compared to how much you’re using, we’ll adjust your Direct Debit amount to keep you on track. We’ll let you know by email before we make any changes.

How can I update my Direct Debit amount?

You can increase the amount you pay each month in your online account, if you need to decrease it please contact us on webchat.

How do you calculate my estimated usage?

Once on supply, we receive information on the property’s previous usage, we use this to estimate future usage. We’ll also use your reads when you’re on supply to make sure this is accurate and up to date.

How do I track my use?

You can see how much energy you’ve used on your bills by looking at the meter reads. You can also see your meter read history in your account by going to your meter read page.

What if I can’t afford my Direct Debit?

If you are having issues meeting your monthly Direct Debit amount there are a few things you can do. Take a look at the ways we can help, we also have energy saving tips available. You can also speak to our friendly advisors on web chat to discuss your options.

Other information

How can I reduce the energy I use?

You can save energy by installing energy saving bulbs and A++ efficient appliances, turning off lights when you’re not using them, nudging your heating down 2 degrees and replacing your boiler if it’s over 15 years old. For more tips read our energy saving guide.

What should I do if I have an electrical emergency?

If you've got an electrical emergency or you lose power, you'll need to contact your electricity network operator. You can find their details on our emergencies page.

What should I do if I have a gas emergency?

If you've got a gas emergency you'll need to contact the National Gas Emergency Service immediately. You can find their details on our emergencies page.

What should I do if I have received an email that looks like a scam?

If you think you’ve been sent a scam email it could be a phishing scam. Phishing scams are used by criminals to steal personal information. To do this, they send emails claiming to be from a genuine company. Sometimes, they even ‘spoof’ email addresses so that the message seems to be from our systems.

If you think you’ve been sent a scam email from British Gas, please send it to us at phishing@centrica.com so we can investigate.

Common scam emails contain attachments you’re not expecting, links you’re asked to click on, or offer you something of value like a refund. They often don’t refer to you by name.

What can I do to protect myself against scam emails?

• Don't click on attachments and links you're not expecting
• Disable the use of ‘macros’ in Microsoft Office documents
• Always make sure your software is up-to-date
• Always run an up-to-date virus checker

How do I spot genuine emails from British Gas Evolve?

• They will only provide links to the British Gas Evolve website.
• They will address you by name, not ‘Dear customer’.
• If you’re not sure the email is genuine, then go directly to www.britishgasevolve.co.uk in your browser to log in to your account instead of clicking on the link.

What is the Warm Home Discount scheme?

The Warm Home Discount scheme (WHDS) offers a one-off payment of £140 (inclusive of VAT) towards the energy bills of those who need it most in England, Scotland and Wales.

The scheme was introduced by the Government in April 2011 and managed by energy suppliers. The money isn’t paid directly to you – it’s a one-off discount that’s credited to your energy account, prepayment card or key, during the winter – providing you qualify for the payment.

How do I apply for the Warm home discount scheme?

To register for the Warm home discount scheme please click on the below link:

www.britishgasevolve.co.uk/warm-home-discount

Who’s eligible for the Warm Home Discount scheme?

The Warm Home Discount Scheme separates eligible households into two groups - the 'core group' and the 'broader group'.

To find out more about the eligibility criteria, please visit this page:

www.gov.uk/the-warm-home-discount-scheme.

What is Energy theft charter?

The Gas and Electricity Theft Charter applies to all energy suppliers. It helps us to ensure the welfare of our most vulnerable customers when we investigate cases of potential energy theft.

For more information, please see our Energy theft charter guide.