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'I claimed back the £70 back from my energy supplier - you can do with these easy steps'

My energy company had been quietly hoarding my cash — I decided to do something about it.

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I discovered my energy supplier was sitting on £70 of my money after months of overpaying. 

Millions of UK households are in a similar position, with £3.3 billion in unused energy credit held by suppliers, according to Ofgem. 

Most people overpay because of flat-rate direct debits and failing to submit regular meter readings. 

The average household had £215 locked up, enough for a weekend away, or at least several pints and a bag of crisps. So I decided to do something reckless:  I requested a refund and got the £70 back within a week – proof it’s easier than you’d think. 

EMBARGOED TO 0001 MONDAY SEPTEMBER 15 File photo dated 03/02/22 of an online energy bill. More than two in five private renters in England and Wales had to ration gas and electricity to afford their energy bills last winter, Citizens Advice said. Issue date: Monday September 15, 2025. PA Photo. A third of private renters - 32%, or 3.5 million people - struggled to heat their home to a comfortable temperature, a survey for the advisory service suggests. The charity said this forced people to take "drastic measures" such as skipping hot meals, wearing gloves inside and limiting heating to just one room. Photo credit should read: Jacob King/PA Wire
EMBARGOED TO 0001 MONDAY SEPTEMBER 15 File photo dated 03/02/22 of an online energy bill. More than two in five private renters in England and Wales had to ration gas and electricity to afford their energy bills last winter, Citizens Advice said. Issue date: Monday September 15, 2025. PA Photo. A third of private renters - 32%, or 3.5 million people - struggled to heat their home to a comfortable temperature, a survey for the advisory service suggests. The charity said this forced people to take "drastic measures" such as skipping hot meals, wearing gloves inside and limiting heating to just one room. Photo credit should read: Jacob King/PA Wire

The process was easy. I logged in, submitted fresh meter readings, clicked “request refund,” and within a week, £70 re-appeared in my account. My supplier didn’t even put up much of a fight. It was almost disappointing.

The whole episode made me think about how complacent we’ve become. Most people don’t submit readings; nearly half of UK households skip them altogether, and one in ten never do.

With climate change bringing us ever milder winters just behind us, plenty of people are effectively pre-paying for warmth they’ll never use.

According to Nous.co boss Greg Marsh, “No one should have a big credit balance built up in their energy account right now.” He’s right.

If your credit balance is more than two-thirds of your monthly payment, you’re basically lending your supplier money at 0% interest.

Holding a little credit is no bad thing. It cushions you from the shock of winter bills, and if you’ve been lazy with readings, it buys some peace of mind. But if your account’s brimming with cash, that can be a different story.

Don’t cancel your direct debit entirely; that’s still the cheapest way to pay. Just make sure it’s realistic. Check your balance. Send proper readings. Demand your refund if it’s due.

Because somewhere in a glass-and-steel office, an energy company is quietly enjoying the interest on your overpayment.

It’s not just active energy accounts that could be hoarding your cash. Recently Ofgem revealed that £240 million in unused energy credit is sitting in closed accounts. Find out how to reclaim yours here.