Question 1

How does switching supplier work?

Accepted Answer

The word ‘supplier’ is actually a bit misleading, because most people’s electricity is supplied by the National Grid. The companies you pay for your electricity and gas should really be called ‘sellers’, because that’s all they do – they sell the energy in the Grid to you. That’s great for consumers, because it means no matter who sells us the energy, it still comes from the Grid. No interruptions of supply, no visits from engineers – just a different name on your bills.

Question 2

When will the switch take place?

Accepted Answer

Once you’ve completed your switching application on our site, we’ll send your details to your new supplier. They will in turn contact your current supplier to let them know you’re moving, and set a date for the switch (which they’ll tell you about in advance). Then on that day, you’ll stop paying your old company for your energy (they’ll send you a final bill up to that date), and start paying the new one. Simple!

Question 3

Can I switch if I have a smart meter?

Accepted Answer

If you've had your smart meter more than six months, you may have to provide manual meter readings to your new supplier for a while. Suppliers are now rolling out a new generation of smart meters which will allow you to switch providers without losing functionality – if you don’t have one, you can ask your new supplier to install one. And the good news is, the older smart meters will soon receive an upgrade - usually installed remotely over the internet - to allow them to be read by all suppliers.

Question 4

I'm on a pre-payment meter - can I switch?

Accepted Answer

Unfortunately clean energy options are currently limited for households on pre-payment meters, and only some of the suppliers on our panel – including Bulb – support them. There are signs this is changing, however, and we expect other suppliers to being to offer tariffs to homes on pre-payment meters in the future. In the meantime, if you’re on a pre-payment meter and need to secure the most competitive tariff, you may be better off using a whole-market price comparison engine like EnergyHelpline.

Question 5

Where can I find my meter number?

Accepted Answer

There are two types of meter number – one for gas, known as an MPRN (meter point reference number) and one for electricity, known as an MPAN (metering point administration number). In most cases, our system can identify these numbers by looking up your address in a national database. Occasionally, however, this information can’t be found in the database, and you’ll need to enter your meter number manually.

You probably won't see the number on the meter itself (some meters have a different number - the serial number - which can cause confusion). The best place to look for your MPAN or MPRN is on a past bill. If you don’t have a past bill, you can look up your MPRN number using this website: findmysupplier.energy

If you need your MPAN, or can't find your MPRN, then drop us a line and we can look up your meter number for you.

Question 6

What if I rent my home?

Accepted Answer

If you pay the energy bills, then it’s your choice – if you want cleaner, cheaper energy, you can have it! You can see Ofgem’s guidance for tenants here. If your landlord pays the energy bills, then why not ask them if they’ll switch (and let them know they could save money in the process!).

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