Frequently asked questions

Joining British Gas Evolve

Who are British Gas Evolve?

British Gas Evolve are part of British Gas, but we’re doing things a bit differently.

We’re 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.

Who can join British Gas Evolve?

Anyone who has a standard meter and is able to pay by Direct Debit can join British Gas Evolve.

If you have a non-standard or prepayment meter, British Gas will be able to help. You can take a look at their tariffs here.

How do I join British Gas Evolve?

Switching to us is simple.

1. Get a quote online
2. Pick your tariff
3. We’ll explain the key terms and conditions and give you a 14 day cooling off period before we start your switch.
4. We’ll contact you within 5 days of agreeing the offer, and send you the link to your contract pack

If you want to know more about switching energy supplier then our step-by-step guide will help

What's happened to British Gas X?

We first launched British Gas X as a trial in early 2020. We decided it was time to take the next step with a brand-new look as British Gas Evolve. But don’t worry, if you used to be with British Gas X, your tariff won’t change, and neither will the price you pay for your energy.

I've been moved from British Gas to Evolve

If you're moving from British Gas to Evolve, we have lots of helpful information to make your move as smooth as possible here.

Will my existing smart meters work if I move to British Gas Evolve?

If you have the latest generation smart meters (SMETS2), they should continue to work as now. We’ll automatically try to connect them after you’ve switched, but we may still ask you to send us meter reads while we do that.

If you have first generation smart meters usually installed pre-Summer 2019 (SMETS1), they may lose their smart functionality as they don’t work with all suppliers. If that happens, we’ll ask you to give us regular meter readings via your online account once you’ve switched. It’s easy to do and we’ll email you a reminder when we need a read from you.

This is a temporary issue and soon these smart meters will work across all energy suppliers

Managing your energy account

How do I manage my British Gas Evolve account?

British Gas Evolve is an online-only service, so you’ll need to log in to your online account to manage your energy account. Here you can:

• See your bills

• Check your Direct Debit details

• Check your account balance

• Send us meter readings

• Renew your tariff

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. If that doesn’t work, please contact us on webchat.

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

This means that everything is done in your online account (which you can access through our website) or webchat. Your online account is where you manage your energy, including sending us your monthly meter reads and seeing your bills and payments. When you join us, you’ll receive all the information you need to access your account.

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

The British Gas app isn't compatible to use for your British Gas Evolve energy. To manage your British Gas Evolve energy, please log in to your account using our website.

How do I renew my tariff with British Gas Evolve?

Around 50 days before your contract is due to end, we’ll contact you with a renewal quote. We’ll offer you our best available tariff and price. You'll be able to see your tariff options when you log in to your online account. When you agree to renew with us, we’ll give you a 14-day cancellation period.

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 tariff at any time, just contact us.

You can find out when your current tariff is due to end in your online account. Your tariff end date will be shown next to the tariff name in your energy bill.

Moving home

What do I do if I'm moving in or out of a home supplied by British Gas Evolve?

Check out our home move page which will tell you the information we’ll need when you contact us.

If you’re moving from a home we supply, then we’d love to move with you. Even if you don’t want to take us to your new home, we’ll need to hear from you so we can close your current energy account.

If you’re moving to a home we supply, then we’ll get your online account set up quickly.

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. Some security software can also prevent webchat from loading.
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. Clearing your cache and cookies may solve any issue you're experiencing, go to your internet browser settings to delete this data.
5. Try accessing webchat from another device or browser i.e. another laptop, tablet or mobile.
6. If you are using Firefox check to see if it is applying content blocking.
7. If you are using Internet explorer 11, please use an alternative browser such as Chrome.
8. 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 smart meters?

If you have smart meters and we’ve asked you to provide meter readings, it’s because we’re unable to take automated reads. Some older smart meters are not compatible with all energy suppliers, so they can’t send reads. This is a temporary issue we’re working hard to resolve. For now, you can give us meter reads via your online account so we can send you an accurate bill.

We’ll email you a reminder each month when we need a read from you.

If you need help to read your smart meter, here's our how to guide.

Find out more about our Smart Meter enrolment.

How do I read my smart meters?

One of the great benefits of having smart meters is automated meter reads, but sometimes things go wrong, and we may ask you to provide them manually, so we can give you an accurate bill.

If we do ask you for a read from your smart meter, here’s our how to read your smart meter guide to help you.

If these instructions don’t apply to your meter type, we recommend following your manufacturer’s instructions on how to read your smart meter. These are available on their websites.

How do I get a smart meter?

We’re currently trialling smart meter installations with some of our customers. We hope to install more smart meters later this year. We’ll update our website once this becomes available and let you know how you can register your interest.

Find out more about our Smart Meter enrolment.

Your billing

Why is my Direct Debit amount changing?

We’ll review the amount of energy you’re using every six months, so you don’t build up too much credit or debt on your account. If you are paying too much or too little 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 at least 7 days before we make any changes.

How can I update my Direct Debit amount?

You can increase the amount you pay each month by logging into your online account and choosing ‘Manage Direct Debit’. If you need to decrease it, please 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.

If you need to change your Direct Debit instruction, log in to your online account and chat with us. You can also make additional card payments in your online account at any time.

How do you calculate my estimated usage?

When you join us, we estimate how much you’ll use in a year based on previous usage, we’ll then spread this across 12 monthly payments. We will also review your meter readings every 6 months to keep you on track with payments so if you don’t have a working smart meter it’s really important you add these to your account by going to ‘Submit a reading’. This way we can also make sure you receive an accurate bill.

What if I can’t afford my Direct Debit?

We know it’s not always easy to pay your energy bill - and that everyone’s circumstances are different. If you’re having issues meeting your monthly Direct Debit amount there are a few things you can do. Firstly, please speak to us on webchat to discuss your options. You can also take a look at help with your bills and check out our energy saving tips.

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 any excess credit to reduce your monthly payments for future bills or use the credit to reduce the impact of higher winter bills.

If you still require a refund, please complete the following checks on your account before you chat with us:

1. Your account has been billed to an up to date meter reading in the last 28 days. If not, please give us a meter reading.

1. You have no outstanding balances on other accounts with us. If you do, we’ll transfer the credit to help pay what you owe.
2. Your Direct Debit payment is not due in the next three working days. If it is, we suggest you wait until your balance has been updated.
3. You’ve moved out of the property and your final bill is based on an actual meter reading. Your refund will be processed automatically within 10 working days. If your final bill is estimated, please give us a final meter reading so we can issue you with an accurate final bill.
4. The credit has not already been requested.

Note:

• We review the amount of energy you’re using every six months, so you don’t build up too much credit or debt on your account. If you’re paying too much or too little, we’ll adjust your Direct Debit amount to keep you on track. We’ll let you know by email at least 7 days before we make any changes.
• If you claim a refund, your monthly payments may go up. This is because you’ll no longer have any credit to supplement your future payments.

I think there's something wrong with my bill, what should I do?

If you think your bill is too high or low, first check:

• If your bill is estimated. Your bill will say if it's based on an estimated reading
• The meter serial number on the meter matches the one on the bill

If we've estimated your bill, this could be why it is different to what you expected. An estimated bill is when we estimate the amount of energy we think you’ve used based on your previous usage.

We prefer preparing your bills on your real meter readings because they’re more accurate. Send us an up-to-date meter reading in your online account. Depending on when we get your meter reading, we'll either adjust and resend your current bill or make sure the meter reading is considered on your next bill.

If your bill is based on actual meter readings, it’s worth considering:

• If we’ve under-estimated your bills in the past, your bill will be higher as we’re charging you now, for the energy used in past months

• The time of year, as homes generally use more during the winter months

• If you’ve changed anything in your home, like bought new appliances or if you’ve been doing home improvements the appliances used may increase your usage

• If there’s been an increase in the number of people living in your home

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.

How do I make a complaint?

If you want to make a 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 resolve your complaint.

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.

Simplicity customer FAQs

Can I move to another supplier before the transfer to British Gas Evolve?

Ofgem's advice is to not switch right away. We recommend waiting until we’ve received any outstanding credit balances you may have with Simplicity Energy; we hope this will be completed early to mid-March.

I started a new switch, or I switched away from Simplicity Energy to another supplier before they stopped trading, why have you contacted me?

Simplicity Energy provided us with a list of active customers that they supplied gas/electricity to. We know this list might not be fully up to date so we’ll check who your current supplier is. If it’s not Simplicity Energy, we won’t do anything else and you’ll stay with your current supplier.

I started switching to another supplier, then I found out Simplicity Energy had stopped trading. Will my transfer still go ahead?

Yes, your transfer should go ahead as normal and you'll hear from your new supplier soon. If not, you can start your switch again as soon as your account with us is fully set up and you won't pay any exit fees. But we’d love you to stay with us so why not give us a try?

Can I leave without paying any exit fees?

Yes, you can switch to a new supplier without paying any exit fees. But we recommend you wait until your account is set up before switching. If you're moving to a new supplier, let them know you're switching from British Gas Evolve and they should sort everything out for you.

I don’t want to join British Gas Evolve - what do I do?

We’re sorry you don’t want to try us, but we understand. Ofgem's advice is to not switch right away.

If you ask a new supplier to take over your energy once the switch to British Gas Evolve has started, they may not be able to process the switch. If that happens, you’ll have to ask your new supplier to try again in a few days. You’ll still have to pay for the energy we supply you with.

Why are People's Energy Contacting me?

If you are a ‘Look After My Bills’ customer, you may have been contacted by People’s Energy – who have agreed with ‘Look After My Bills’ to become your supplier. If you don’t want to move to People’s Energy let us know and we can ask for that change of supply to be stopped. If you are happy with the move, we will need a final meter reading just before you are due to go on supply with People’s Energy.

Will I stay on the same tariff?

No, we’ll move you onto a new tariff and you’ll receive full details on that tariff soon. It’s a competitively priced tariff with no exit fees which means you can switch later if it’s not quite right for you. You’ll be able to switch as soon as we've fully set up your account.

Will I get green electricity with British Gas Evolve?

Yes - your new British Gas Evolve tariff will match all the electricity you use with 100% renewable electricity. That means however much you use, we'll feed the same amount from renewable sources into the National Grid.

What happens to the credit I had with my previous supplier?

Don't worry, customer credit balances are protected by Ofgem regulations and any valid credit balances will be moved over to your new account.

We have not yet been given the details of what credit is owing to Simplicity customers. We are expecting to know more around the 20^th March – and will email you with the details. Credit balances will either be added to your account or we will contact you about payment.

Please note that it can take several weeks for us to get this information from Simplicity Energy, your old supplier. We'll let you know as soon as any credit has been transferred to your new British Gas Evolve account. Thanks for your understanding.

What happens if I had outstanding payments or debt with my previous supplier?

We're working with the appointed administrator to find out how this process will work. We'll be in touch as soon as we know.

What happens to my Direct Debit?

On Friday 5^th March the process of transferring your Direct Debit details from the Simplicity Energy bank to the British Gas Evolve bank was completed. We are now in the process of setting up your Direct Debit in our systems and will keep your payment date and amount the same as you had with Simplicity Energy. When we have set this up for you will see the details in your online account.

What are the timelines for transferring my account to British Gas Evolve?

We are working hard with Simplicity to get you switched over to British Gas Evolve. At that point, you’ll receive a Welcome email from us and some more information about your tariff and prices.

We’re aiming for your first Direct Debit to be taken between now and mid-March.

If you have an outstanding credit balance with Simplicity, we hope that this will be transferred to British Gas and available on your account, by mid-March.

We recommend you do not switch supplier until your account is at this stage.

What will happen if I try to switch before this stage of the process?

If a switch starts before your account has fully transferred to us, this may slow down the switching process overall and could lead to your account switching back to us. If you have a credit balance outstanding with Simplicity, switching too early could lead to a delay in this being refunded to you and would also mean that you receive it as a cheque instead of a balance transfer.

All credit balances are protected and we will return them to you.

Why has British Gas Evolve started supplying my energy?

When a supplier fails, Ofgem runs a process to appoint a new supplier to look after customers and ensure their supply is not affected. In this case Ofgem has decided to appoint British Gas Evolve.

Will I lose my gas or electricity supply?

No, don’t worry, your energy supply will continue uninterrupted through the transfer process. You won't notice a thing.

What are the benefits of being with British Gas Evolve?s

We’re a part of British Gas, powering homes for over 200 years. We’ve learnt a thing or two along the way and we’re excited to do things a bit differently.

• 100% renewable electricity – our way of helping you do your bit for the planet
• Complete online control – making it easy for you to manage your energy online
• UK-based customer support team – there to help if you need it
• Affordable energy – so you pay a fair price for your energy
• No exit fees – you won’t pay any fees to switch

Will my smart meter still work when I switch to British Gas Evolve?

Your smart meter will still record your energy use but we may need you to submit a meter reading online, we will let you know when your account is set up.

Please note that this isn’t an issue specific to British Gas Evolve – it would happen if you switch to any provider.

I have a smart meter appointment booked with my previous supplier. Will this still happen?

No, your old supplier won’t be able to fit your smart meter.s

I'm on the Priority Services Register. Will I stay on it when I switch to British Gas Evolve?

Yes - if you were on the Priority Services Register with Simplicity Energy, we’ll add you to ours automatically. You can find out more information about the services we offer on our website: britishgasevolve.co.uk/ways-we-can-help

Smart meter enrolment

When will SMETS1 smart meters be enrolled onto the Data and Communications Company (DCC)?

Timings for enrolment are controlled by the DCC and will be completed at different times, depending on your meter type and whether it was installed by British Gas or another energy supplier. We anticipate that smart meters will be enrolled through 2020/2021.

How will smart meters be enrolled?

Enrolment will use a remote process that means in the majority of cases, a smart meter won’t need to be physically replaced.

Can I request for my current SMETS1 smart meters to be enrolled?

No, unfortunately you can’t request for your smart meters to be enrolled at a specific time. This will happen within the country wide enrolment programme.

When will my smart meters be enrolled?

The timing of enrolment will depend on your meter type and whether it was installed by British Gas another energy supplier. We anticipate that smart meters will be enrolled through 2020/2021 and those meters that temporarily lost their smart services will regain them meaning your Smart Energy Monitor will display your energy usage and your smart meters will send us automated meter reads again.

What’s the difference between SMETS1 and SMETS2 smart meters?

If you had your smart meters installed before Summer 2019, you’ll most likely have a SMETS1 smart meter. These meters aren’t always compatible with all energy suppliers meaning that smart benefits can’t always be maintained if you switch energy supplier.

From 2020 onwards British Gas SMETS1 smart meters will gradually be enrolled into the Data Communications Company (the DCC). This means you’ll be able to keep your smart meter services if you decide to switch supplier or that you’ll regain the services you may have temporarily lost if you previously switched to us from another supplier.

What is smart meter enrolment?

The Data and Communications Company (DCC) is an industry body that provides a shared smart metering infrastructure for data and communications services.

Your supplier will use this to communicate with your smart meters. All latest generation SMETS2 meters are already linked to this system when they’re installed. Older first generation SMETS1 meters will need to be transferred to the new system. Once they have been transferred or enrolled, it will mean that if you temporarily lost your smart meter services such as automated meter reads and a fully functional smart energy monitor when you changed supplier, these services will be restored and you won’t lose them again in the future.