Managing your account online, understanding your statements, updating your details...
See all articles about accountYour payment amount, payment date, seasonal vs equal payments, our refund policy...
See all articles about paymentsEverything you need to know about the Energy Price Cap...
See all articles about energy price capEverything you need to know about Smart Meters
See all articles about smart meterReading your meter, moving or exchanging your meter, meter faults...
See all articles about meterChanging suppliers, your opening and closing readings, the day you switch...
See all articles about switchingUnderstanding your renewal options, when you can renew...
See all articles about renewalsYou’re moving home, you have moved into a home supplied by So Energy...
See all articles about movingWarm Home Discount, our Priority Services Register, Renewable energy and much more...
See all articles about otherThere's different types of meters, which can sometimes be confusing. We're here to help you understand yours better. Electricity and gas meters record your usage in different units (electricity in kWh, and gas in m3 or ft3).
We’ve compiled a list to help you work out which type of meter you have and how to read it. If you've got a smart meter try our guide How to read your smart meter.
Once you know how to read your meter, make sure you regularly submit your readings online to keep you on top of your energy. You can also set up email reminders online.
Digital:
Analogue
This energy bills discount has been set up by the Government to help households as energy bills rise, due to increasing wholesale costs. This scheme had ended - the last payments were made in March 2023.
As always, we want our customers to be safe and informed so we’d like to warn you to be aware of potential scams as they have been reported. Please remember you do not need to apply to receive the Government grant and we will keep you informed via email about this scheme but we will not text, call or email you asking for your direct debit details so please do not give your details to third parties. Visit TakeFive - Stop Fraud for more information.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
All customers that have an electricity supply with us will receive £66 in October and November 2022, followed by four payments of £67 from December to March 2023 for a total of £400. If you have a gas only account with So Energy, you won’t qualify - though you'll still receive this amount from your domestic electricity supplier if you have one.
This will be automatically applied to your account. How you receive this will depend on the payment method you have set up:
Please remember that the charges for your energy usage are likely to be higher than £66 per month so you’ll need to make monthly payments to avoid falling into debt. We highly recommend setting up a Direct Debit through your online account if you haven’t already done so.
It’s important to note that even with the Energy Bills Support Scheme helping out, most people will see their Direct Debit rise in October anyway. For a typical price-capped household, using 2,900kWh of electricity and 12,000kWh of gas per year, costs will rise from £164 per month to an estimated £304 per month. Even when you subtract the £67 Energy Bills Support Scheme discount from £304, that typical household’s monthly cost still rises from £164 to £237. In reality everyone’s circumstances are different but for the most part customers should expect to see their costs rise despite the Energy Bills Support Scheme discount.
We have more information on what support we have for our customers and what to do if you’re struggling to pay your energy bills.
Please note that credit will not reach all customers on 1 October 2022. We aim to apply the credit in the first week of each month during the scheme which will run between October 2022 and March 2023.
If there are any issues or delays with applying your credit you’ll be informed. We’ll ensure no one misses out.
We will reduce the payment in accordance with your debt repayment plan. If you don’t have a debt repayment plan agreed and you think you need one we have more information on what to do if you’re struggling to pay your energy bills.
The short answer is, No. The £400 is to help you with higher bills during winter. Which is why the credit is spread across 6 months. Additionally, the government will be giving energy suppliers the money in instalments, so it's not possible to give any of our customers £400 in one lump sum.
The government has asked suppliers to apply the Energy Bill Support Scheme to be applied as a credit to your energy account. As per our refund policy, if your account is in significant credit, you can ask for your balance to be refunded.
Yes, you will still be eligible for the scheme.
If you’d like to find out more about the Energy Bill Support Scheme, you can head to the government website.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has announced that the Energy Price Guarantee (EPG) will be kept at it's current level (around £2,500/year for the average household) until the end of June 2023.
However, the Energy Bill Support Scheme (EBSS), which was worth £67/month, has ended, with the last payments being made in March.
This article will outline the Energy Price Guarantee, a measure announced by the Government on 8 September 2022 (and updated on 15 March 2023) to provide further support for energy customers.
The Energy Price Guarantee (EPG) and Government Energy Price Guarantee (GEPG) are the same thing, you may have heard the name used interchangeably in the media or publications.
The Energy Price Guarantee (EPG) is however different to the Energy Bill Support Scheme (EBSS). The Energy Bill Support Scheme (EBSS) delivered a flat £400 credit to electricity customers over 6 months until it ended in March 2023.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
The Government has outlined its Energy Price Guarantee (EPG) that caps energy prices for typical households until the end of June 2023. This is the maximum cost of each unit of gas or electricity a household uses. From 1 April 2023, the annual energy bill of the typical household will remain the same at £2,500, but remember this is not a limit to how much your annual bills will be. Your actual annual costs will depend on how much energy you use so your yearly bill could be greater or smaller than £2,500.
The EPG reduces the unit rates for gas and electricity from the values announced under Ofgem's quarterly price cap plans. Standing charges will not be affected and will change in line with Ofgem's guidance.
From 1 April, the Government's Energy Bills Support Scheme discount will no longer be applied to your monthly bills. Learn more here.
From 1 October, all customers on our standard variable tariff So Flex will benefit from the Energy Price Guarantee. The Government has announced the new unit rates and you can check them here.
Don't worry, there's nothing for customers to do - we'll handle all of that for you and apply the discount automatically if you're on an eligible tariff - see below for which tariffs will benefit from the EPG.
All customers on our standard variable tariff, So Flex, and customers on some of our fixed rate tariffs will benefit from the Government’s Energy Price Guarantee.
Until the end of June 2023, the Government’s goal is to set the energy bills of typical-use households at around £2,500 a year by offering subsidised energy rates. For over 70% of our fixed tariffs, the unit rate is already priced below the Energy Price Guarantee unit rate, so they will not receive an Energy Price Guarantee discount.
The remaining 30% of fixed rate tariffs are priced above the discounted unit rates so will be eligible for the discount. For customers on these tariffs, the discount will bring their rates down to the discounted unit rates. This will be reflected in your monthly statement.
A very small number of customers fixed their energy at a high price and so, despite being eligible for the discount, their discounted unit rates will still be higher than the Energy Price Guarantee’s target rates.
At the moment, our only available tariff is So Flex, our standard variable tariff. If your fixed rate tariff is coming to an end, you will automatically be moved onto So Flex.
All customers will see a change in their Direct Debit to reflect the new rates set by the Government and the impact of the end of the Government's Energy Bills Support Scheme. Here, you can check how the Energy Price Guarantee will affect your tariff rates, but as a guide, we expect:
low energy users to pay less than they do today
typical users to pay about the same as they do today
high users to pay more than they do today but still a lot less than what was previously projected
Our blog is a really useful source of information for your energy-related questions, including details of the Energy Price Guarantee, a guide to energy assistance ahead of winter, reasons for energy price changes, and much more.
This article also outlines everything you need to know about your energy this April.
What is happening with Ofgem’s price cap?
Ofgem's price cap: The energy regulator, Ofgem, limits how much suppliers can charge customers on a Standard Variable Tariff (such as So Flex or So Flex Green) to reflect changes in the wholesale energy market. This is adjusted every 3 months.
The October Price Cap: Each quarter Ofgem sets out its energy prices, with 1 October 2024 being the next change. A typical customer will pay £1,717 with the new price cap. Just so you are aware, £1,717 isn't a cap on how much your annual bills will be; the more energy you use, the more you'll pay.
What changes to my tariff will I see in October?
We will be emailing all our customers whose rates will change, you don't need to do anything.
If you're on our So Flex or So Flex Green variable tariff:
From 1 October, customer's variable tariff rates will be changing because the unit prices are subject to Ofgem’s price cap. We will write to you, letting you know your new rates.
If you're on a fixed tariff:
You’ll remain on these rates and you won’t see a change in your bill. Therefore you do not need to take any further action.
Will my Direct Debit change?
Your monthly fixed Direct Debit is the regular monthly payment you make towards the cost of your energy usage.
We will continue our normal practice of reviewing customer accounts to make sure everyone is paying the right amount. Moreover, specific alterations to your payments will depend on which region you live in, how you pay for your energy and your account balance. If you’re due for a review and there are any changes to your monthly payment, we will reach out to you via email.
We endeavour to always offer our customers the best deal for their energy usage and provide support where we can. If you're concerned you won't be able to pay, speak with us and we can work out a payment plan with you. Installing a smart meter is also an effective way to control and monitor your energy usage, and submitting regular meter readings helps us make your energy bills more accurate. Read our energy-saving tips and learn about the support we offer our customers.
Read about the process of reviewing Direct Debits here. If you pay for your energy seasonally, this page will help explain how we calculate seasonal payments.
Do I need to do anything on or before 1 October?
You don’t need to do anything before 1 October, but if you’d like to adjust your payments, you have a few options.
To help keep your monthly payments low, we recommend paying any outstanding balance on your account. You can do this by logging into your account and making a one-off payment.
In the coming weeks, we will be reviewing the monthly payment amounts for all our customers and we will email you with any updates to your bills. We recommend waiting to hear from us before making any changes to your monthly payment amounts.
If you would like to change your monthly payment amounts before receiving your Direct Debit review, you are welcome to adjust your Direct Debit amount through your online account.
If you don’t have a smart meter, please continue to submit monthly meter reads via your online account. Regular meter readings help us to ensure your bills accurately reflect your usage (Not sure how to read your meter? Find out here. To learn how to submit a reading, click here.) If you have a smart meter that's communicating, you don’t need to submit any meter readings - learn more about smart meters here.
We know that it’s not always easy to keep up with bills, and if you do find yourself struggling, get in touch and we can discuss ways in which we can help. It's best to have an up to date meter reading ready when you contact us.
If you’re struggling to pay for your energy, we can help:
At So Energy, we are committed to supporting our customers who experience money worries.
While we’re doing all we can to help our customers, we recognise there may be other debts and money concerns with which you need help and advice. If you are worried about debts, or have missed payments, there is also free and independent debt advice available via government sponsored MoneyHelper.
Please contact MoneyHelper via their free helpline number - 0800 138 7777 or visit their website. As well as being there for help and guidance, they offer several tools you can use, including:
So Energy are committed to supporting you, and we genuinely mean it. We hope that you'll get in touch if you need our support.
When there is a price increase, we’ll get in touch with you with as much notice as possible before there are any changes to your payments and let you know what your options are.
If you decide to fix your rates or remain on the standard variable tariff, your direct debit amount will automatically be adjusted, in line with your new rates on our next payment date. You may be able to adjust your direct debit amount to something more affordable in your online account. However, please be aware that you cannot decrease your direct debit via your online account below a certain amount that we forecast would result in your account falling into debit.
Here at So Energy, we can’t get enough of smart meters. That’s why we’re committed to offering one to all of our customers. Interested to know more?
Smart meters are revolutionary, next-generation technology that capture and send meter readings straight to your energy supplier, all without you having to lift a finger. This ensures accurate bills across the board, putting an end to estimates. Smart meters also come complete with an in-home display (IHD), which enables you to track and monitor your usage in a real-time pounds & pence view. You may see us referring to smart meters as SMETS here and there, which stands for Smart Metering Equipment Technical Specification.
Smart meters save money, they save time and they save energy (gas, electricity and your own).
We are now well established in our second-generation smart meter rollout, having installed more than a hundred thousand meters up and down the country. Our metering partners are doing a fantastic job in helping us to deliver on this, but if you haven’t heard from us already, fear not, as you likely will soon!
When we do have availability in your area, we will be in touch through smart.install@so.energy with a prompt to book an appointment via your online account, so be sure to keep an eye out for that! You can also check availability for yourself by visiting your personalised smart meter booking portal.
Once you've made a booking, you can amend or cancel your appointment at any time yourself using the same portal. All you need to do is use the link provided in your booking confirmation or reminder emails and you'll be able to manage the booking fully!
If you have any traditional meters at your address, you are likely eligible to get them exchanged. Click here to start booking!
If you check and there's no availability in your area, do not fret - we will register your interest automatically and will be in touch once new slots are available for you to book your smart meter installation. If none of the available slots work for you, you can also tell us more about your preferences, and we will let you know once a slot like that comes up in your area.
For information on how to prepare for your installation, check out our section here. Or, to find out more about our metering partners and their no-contact smart meter installations, please check out this page here.
So Energy support all second-generation smart meters, also known as SMETS2 meters. If you have a SMETS2 and wish to join our supply, your meter should automatically connect to us and start providing us with reads when we take over supply.
If you have a SMETS2 meter and you are already on our supply, these should be 'woken up' and communicating with us. However, if you feel your smart meter has not yet woken up, please get in touch with us via help@so.energy.
Good news, The Data Communications Company (DCC) is in the process of updating all first generation smart meters by moving them over to the new smart communications network. This migration is being carried out in three stages, with a planned finish at the end of 2023* after the latest Government update. This is being done so that we can provide you with an even more reliable service, all while ensuring your smart meter(s) can continue to work should you decide to switch suppliers in the future.
We've been working hard to start communicating with newly-enrolled smart meters. That being said, the time and date your SMETS1 will be enrolled and adopted into the new smart communications network depends on a few things, such as the meter manufacturer and the energy supplier who originally installed it. As it’s an industry-wide change that is largely out of our control, we are currently unable to provide exact timings for each meter.
After we’ve taken care of the boring stuff in the background, if your meter is successfully enrolled and communicating with us, you will receive an email from us with the good news that your SMETS1 meter is now smart enabled. This means your meter will be able to do all the useful smart stuff. If both your gas and electricity are first-generation smart meters on supply with us, you will receive this email for each meter we successfully wake-up, so don’t be alarmed if you get it twice (it’s good news!).
If for any reason the Data Communications Company (DCC) are unable to wake up your meter, we will be in contact to offer you a brand new SMETS2 meter, free of charge. For the time being though, sit back and relax until you hear from us. Your first generation smart meters will behave like a ‘normal’ meter, meaning you will need to provide us with meter readings via your online account to ensure an accurate energy statement.
Chances are if your meter was installed before 2018, it’s most probably going to be first generation (SMETS1). To be more certain though, you can either check out our page here (complete with diagrams and model names), or look for a device ID (GUID) on the electricity meter. This will be printed on the front of the communications hub (attached to the top of the meter) and will be formatted like this: AA-BB-CC-DD-EE-FF-GG-HH-II. If you can see this, you have a second generation (SMETS2) meter.
This depends who pays the utility bills for the property. Whoever the account holder is (the person responsible for paying the utility bills) ultimately has the choice on whether a smart meter can be installed. However, if you are renting but also pay for the gas and electricity, it may still be worth informing your landlord prior to installation that you are intending to install smart meters at the property!
If you're an electricity only or a gas only customer, then the great news is that you can get a smart meter! If you haven't heard from us already, please get in touch so that we can start you on your upgrade journey.
In 2022, we installed 25,332 electricity and 20,295 gas smart meters (45,627 in total), falling just short of our respective targets of 26,427 and 27,617. You can see a breakdown of those installations below.
2022 | Installation Type | Number of Qualifying Installations | Target Installations (Qualifying) |
Domestic Credit Installations (Electricity) | 25,332 | 26,427 | |
Domestic Credit Installations (Gas) | 20,295 | 27,617 | |
Prepayment Installations (Electricity & Gas) | 0 | 0 | |
Non-domestic Installations (Electricity & Gas) | 0 | 0 |
In 2023, we installed 17,770 electricity and 16,971 gas smart meters (34,741 in total) in qualifying premises across the UK. A qualifying premises relates to the type of meter that was in place before we installed ours. If the meter was traditional before we exchanged it, then this would be considered as a qualifying installation.
2023 | Installation Type | Number of Qualifying Installations | Number of Non-Qualifying Installations | Target Installations (Qualifying) |
Domestic Credit Installations (Electricity) | 17,770 | 6,002 | 28,768 | |
Domestic Credit Installations (Gas) | 16,971 | 5,253 | 33,585 | |
Prepayment Installations (Electricity & Gas) | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Non-domestic Installations (Electricity & Gas) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
In 2024, So Energy have big plans to continue installing smart meters for our customers up and down the country. If you're yet to get yours, why not make 2024 your year.
2024 | Installation Type | Number of Installations | Target Installations |
Domestic Credit Installations (Electricity) | TBC | 23,966 | |
Domestic Credit Installations (Gas) | TBC | 28,104 | |
Prepayment Installations (Electricity & Gas) | 0 | 0 | |
Non-domestic Installations (Electricity & Gas | 0 | 0 |
Haven't heard from us yet? Fear not, as you likely will do soon. Alternatively, why not your register your interest here and we'll get back to you as soon as we can to let you know if you are eligible.
Over the past few years, energy prices have increased across the energy industry. This article will explain what this means for you and your energy statements (bills).
If you are on a fixed tariff, your price will remain the same until the end date of your tariff, a fixed tariff gives you peace of mind and confidence that the price you pay for energy will remain the same. However, with winter coming your usage might increase which does affect your bill. To read more about how your usage impacts your bill, read here!
If your fixed tariff is coming to an end soon, you will most likely see an increase in your renewal price.
So Energy always tries to provide you the best price possible. The vast increase in wholesale costs (where we buy your energy) means that we are forced to increase the prices we charge you.
While we - and most energy suppliers - will pass any savings on to our customers and absorb rises in wholesale costs in order to keep things affordable, there are times when you’ll see an increase in what you’re paying. This is generally unavoidable, and as an energy supplier not something that we like having to do.
The increase in gas and electricity prices over the last years are driven by wholesale costs going up as a result of various socio-political and environmental factors across the world.
We know moving can be stressful but sorting out your energy doesn’t have to be. We handle most of the process for you, we just need a few details from yourself. There’s a quick form to fill out which will be sent straight to our operations team. This article will explain everything you need to know.
Moving Home Form |
To process your move, we'll need to take a few details from you. You can provide them by completing this form.
These details will be some dates, some meter readings and some address details so please have the following things handy:
So Energy account number- This is an eight digit number starting 00 that can be found on the top of any email we have sent to you or on your welcome page in your online account.
Full name- Please ensure the name you provide matches with the name on your account.
Telephone number- Please ensure that this matches with the contact number associated with your account.
Address moving out of- please include the full address including postcode of your current property
Last date of responsibility- This is the date that your tenancy for your current property ends or the last day where you are responsible and may not be the same as the day you move out of the property. This will be the date that your account is billed to.
Electricity and/or gas readings- Please provide us with meter readings for all meters that we supply at the property taken on the last day of responsibility or on the date closest to that. These reads will then be agreed with the new occupier before your final bill is issued. Please see this article for further information on reading your traditional or smart meters.
Contact details for new occupier (if known)- This helps us the process of creating an account for the new occupier but do not worry if you do not have any contact information.
Address of forwarding address- please include the full address including postcode for your forwarding address. We may use this in the eventuality we need to send any further communications to you via post.
Great, we’d love you to stay with us! For more information on this have a look at our page here.
No, even if you’ve already moved out we will only bill you for up to your last date of responsibility.
You’ll receive your final bill which will detail any final any charges or early exit fees. Any credit that’s left on the account after that will be refunded back to you, there will be a date on your bill for when this will by. It is usually within 10 days after you receive your final bill.
Early exit fees will apply unless you are on So Flex, or are in the last 49 days of your contract or if you set up a supply at your new property on a new fixed rate tariff.
No, we will cancel the direct debit once the final bill has been settled. Cancelling the direct debit can lead to it taking longer to close your account and delay any credit you are owed to get back to you. If you do cancel your direct debit you will need to pay any charges owed manually
We’d advise reinstating it, but otherwise you will need to pay any money owed through your online account or by getting in touch with us by the due date on your final bill. Any credit due back to you will still be paid but there may be a delay.
Once we have all the information about your move, the rest of the process is down to us! Please remember to send a final meter read on your last day of responsibility if you haven’t already. We’ll send you your final bill up to 6 weeks later. After the final bill is settled the account will be closed.
Chat is the quickest way to speak to a real person. Our friendly advisers are online 9am - 5pm, Monday to Friday. Our chatbot assistant offers help round the clock.
If you'd rather leave a message via our contact form, reach out and we'll get back to you between 9am - 5pm, Monday to Friday.