Can I get a refund if my business has been overcharged for energy?
Yes, and the claim is often larger than people expect. The four common recoveries are the wrong unit rate applied, VAT charged at 20% when you qualified for 5%, estimated readings that overstated consumption, and capacity or levy errors. Overpaid VAT and CCL can be reclaimed up to four years back.
Last reviewed 2 September 2026 by Utilities Made Simple · independent, whole-of-market, supplier-paid — how we are paid
The four things worth checking
- Rates against contract. Take the unit rate and standing charge from the bill and compare them with the contract you signed. Mismatches after a renewal or a rebill are common.
- VAT and CCL. If you qualified for 5% VAT and were charged 20%, you have a claim — and CCL at 0.801p per kWh should not have been charged either. Four years is the usual window. See VAT and CCL on business energy.
- Estimated reads. Ask for a rebill from the last actual reading rather than a credit note based on another estimate.
- Capacity and standing charges. On half-hourly supplies, available capacity you never use is charged for anyway; on any supply, a standing charge well outside 45–65p a day is worth questioning.
How to claim
Write to the supplier with the account number, the period, the specific line you are disputing and what you believe the correct figure is. Attach the evidence — contract, meter photographs, VAT declaration. Ask for a written response with a rebill or a credit, and a date.
If it stalls
Ask for a deadlock letter. Micro businesses can take it to the Energy Ombudsman free of charge after deadlock or eight weeks. VAT reclaims that the supplier resists can also be raised directly with HMRC, though in practice the supplier route is faster.
If you would like a second pair of eyes first, email a recent bill and the contract to info@utilitiesms.co.uk — we do this every day and we will tell you plainly whether there is a claim.
Ask an energy specialist
If your question is not answered above, send it to us. A specialist answers personally, normally within one working day. No sales call, no obligation — and if the answer is "your deal is fine", that is what you will get.
Want this checked against your own bill?
Email a recent bill to info@utilitiesms.co.uk and a specialist will check your rates, VAT, levies and contract end date against the live market — free, usually the same working day. If your deal is already good, we will tell you to keep it.