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 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.

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.

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 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.

Your billing

Why is my Direct Debit amount changing?

Your unit rate and standing charge won’t change when you’re in a fixed term contract. 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. 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 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.

How do I track my use?

You can see how much energy you’ve used by looking at the meter reads on your bills.

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 the ways we can help 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 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.

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.

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