As a company, White Rose Energy focuses on serving our customers rather than generating its own power. Instead, our partner - who shares the same philosophy as us - buys from the energy markets and from generators themselves, across the UK. Robin Hood Energy's fuel mix reflects both the energy they buy directly and the energy they buy from the commodity markets.

All suppliers, including Robin Hood Energy, are required by Ofgem to provide information about the mix of fuels used to generate the electricity supplied to customers, as well as any environmental impact. Known as the Fuel Mix Disclosure, our partner, Robin Hood Energy, must publish this information annually. The current Fuel Mix Disclosure is for the period 1st April 2018 to 31st March 2019 and is now available to view Fuel Mix Disclosure can be accessed by clicking here.

What is the Warm Home Discount Scheme?

The Warm Home Discount is a government scheme that gives extra help to people struggling with their energy bills. The scheme means that if you’re getting Pension Credit or are a low-income household, you could qualify for a one-off discount of £140 on your electricity bill, usually made between October and March. This doesn’t affect your Cold Weather Payment or Winter Fuel Payment.

Are White Rose Energy part of the Warm Home Discount Scheme?

Yes, White Rose Energy are part of the Warm Home Discount Scheme for the Core Group. This scheme is only mandatory for energy suppliers to offer once they reach a customer base of 250,000.

As it is our mission to eradicate fuel poverty, we have opted into the scheme voluntarily before reaching the 250,000 threshold.

Eligibility

You qualify for the discount with White Rose Energy if on 8 July 2018 all of the following applied:

• Your electricity supplier was part of the scheme

• Your name (or your partner’s) was on the bill

• You were getting the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit (even if you get Savings Credit as well)

If you meet the criteria for the Warm Home Discount rebate under the Core Group, you will receive a letter from the Department of Work and Pensions letting you know that you qualify.

All eligible customers should receive their letter by 7 December 2018. If you think you are eligible for the Warm Home Discount but have not received your letter by this date you can contact the Warm Home Discount Scheme helpline on 0800 731 0214, Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm.

For more information on this scheme and to find out if you’re eligible visit the government website: www.gov.uk/the-warm-home-discount-scheme/.

Using the WRE mobile app

1. Can every customer use the White Rose Energy App?

This is version 1 of the White Rose Energy App, so at the moment only customers who have a credit account with us can login to the app. We are already working hard on version 2 of the App for Pay As You Go customers which should be available in 2020.

2. Can I edit my personal details on the app?

Not in this first version of the White Rose Energy App, we are planning to add this feature in the near future. You can still update your personal details in your online account.

3. Can I update my direct debit details on the app?

Not in this first version of the White Rose Energy App, we are planning to add this feature in the near future. You can still update your direct debit details in your online account.

4. Can I renew my tariff on the app?

Not in this first version of the White Rose Energy App, we are planning to add this feature in the near future and you can still renew your tariff with us online.

Providing meter reads

5. Can I submit more than one meter read a day?

No, you can only submit one meter read per day. If you made a mistake when providing a meter read, simply re-submit the correct read the next day.

SMART meters

6. I have requested a SMART meter in the App, what happens next?

Our SMART teams will be in touch by phone to book a convenient installation date for you.

7. I have given permission to add half-hourly energy usage data from my SMART meter to the app. How long before I start seeing my data coming through to the app?

It can take up to five days before the app will start processing reads from your SMART meter in a half-hourly format. Keep checking and if it doesn’t come through in 5 days send the team a live chat message.

Support

8. What hours are the live chat team available?

Our live chat team is available 8am – 8pm Monday to Friday and 9am – 5pm on Saturday. You can still send us a message outside of these hours and we will respond the next working day.

9. I started a chat but left the app, how do I get back to my chat?

Open the White Rose Energy app and press the chat button again. You will be able to continue your previous conversation

Bugs or suggestions

If you find anything that doesn’t work or you have ideas for how we can make our app even better, please let us know via live chat. We will be updating the app continuously and using feedback from our customers to help prioritise what features and functionality we add to the app.

Why not sign up to manage your energy account online? It's free, easy to use, and available to you 24 hours a day from anywhere with an internet connection. With an a White Rose Energy online account you’ll have access to services that help you stay in control of your energy. Here are some of the other benefits of managing your account online:

• Submit meter readings - Say goodbye to estimated bills
• View, prin,t & pay bills - All your energy bills in one place
• See your correspondence with us
• Look at your energy plans and discounts

Follow this link to download the document.

If your PAYG meter, key, or card is not working properly then please get in touch. You can call us free on 0800 022 3553 8am – 8pm Monday to Friday or 9am – 5pm Saturday to get a replacement key or card, or to make an appointment for us to visit your home if you think your meter is faulty.

If you smell gas, think you have a gas leak, or are worried that carbon monoxide is escaping from a gas appliance, call the free Gas Emergency Services helpline right away on:

0800 111 999

This is a free 24-hour emergency line.

Also:

• Open all doors and windows to fully ventilate your property.
• Do not turn any electrical switches on or off.
• Extinguish all naked flames and do not smoke, strike matches, or do anything which could cause ignition.
• If you have electrical security entry locks, don’t use them and open the door manually.

Advice from the Health and Safety Executive.

By providing us with your meter readings, we can make sure that you receive accurate bills. Pay-As-You-Go customers don’t need to read their meters because the reading is automatically recorded by us each time you top up.

How do I read my meter?

Here are the different types of gas and electricity meters and how to read them.

1. Digital

Meter reading is 00372. Write down the five numbers shown from left to right.

Ignore the number(s) after the decimal point which may be shown in red.

2. Imperial Meter

Meter reading is 2988. Write down the four numbers shown from left to right.

Ignore the number(s) shown in red.

3. Dial Meter

Meter reading is 6456. Read the four dials from left to right along the bottom row only. Ignore any others and write down the number closest to each pointer. When the pointer is between two numbers, write down the lower number. If the pointer is between 9 and 0 write down 9.

Remember each dial turns in the opposite direction to the one before it, so check which way each turns.

Having problems with your meter?
If your meter has stopped or you're having other problems reading your meter, call us on 0800 022 3553.

You can contact White Rose Energy customer services on 0800 022 3553. Our customer services team can provide free help and advice if you have a question or issue.

For any media enquiries please send an email to: enquiries@whiteroseenergy.co.uk.

White Rose Energy offers monthly billing with a wide variety of different payment options to suit you.

At White Rose Energy, we’re committed to making sure that you receive an excellent service from us and we strive to get things right first time for our customers. However, we know that occasionally something might go wrong. If this does happen, just give us a call and we’ll make sure that we put it right for you quickly.

If you do make a complaint about any aspect of our service, please rest assured that we’ll take your complaint seriously. We’ll work hard to resolve the problem and learn from your feedback so we can improve the way we deliver our services in the future. We’ll also keep you informed throughout the process so you know what is happening every step of the way.

If your complaint is about a problem with the delivery of your gas or electricity, we will pass it on to your network supply operator to investigate, as they are responsible for this.

Tell us if you’re not happy

If you’re unhappy with our service, we want to know about it right away so we can get it fixed quickly.

You can contact us by:

• Telephone: 0800 022 3553
• Email: customerservice@whiteroseenergy.co.uk
• Post: White Rose Energy, PO Box 10461, Nottingham, NG1 9JS

If we can’t sort out your problem straight away, we’ll aim to get back to you the following day.

If you’re still not happy

We’ll talk to you about how we can work together to sort it out. You can also ask us to undertake an internal review of how we’re handling your complaint. We’ll work hard to try and get a result that you’re happy with - but if you’re not, we’ll look into things again and you’ll receive what is called a ‘Final Response’. This means that we haven’t been able to resolve things for you. In the letter, we’ll recap what’s happened and what we have suggested – and give you contact details for the Energy Ombudsman.

To resolve your complaint we will:

• Give you an explanation about what went wrong.
• Put things right quickly.
• Apologise if we’ve made a mistake.
• Offer compensation (if it’s appropriate). As we are not for profit company we are different to other energy suppliers and will only pay compensation where financial harm has been caused by us or our business partners .

Independent Advice

For free, impartial energy advice you can contact the Citizens Advice Bureau. They can help and advise about getting help paying your energy bills, choosing the tariff that’s right for you and your circumstances, and comparing energy suppliers. You can call them on 03444 111 444. Alternatively visit their website @ www.citizensadvice.org.uk/energy.

The Energy Ombudsman

This is an independent organisation that offers a free service to help resolve things between us once you’ve had our Final Response (or eight weeks since you complained and we still haven’t fixed things). They will make their decision and if you agree, we have to act on the way they say. This may mean we have to apologise, explain what has gone wrong, correct the problem or give you a financial award. You do not have to accept their decision.

You can contact the Energy Ombudsman by:

• Telephone: 0330 440 1624
• Textphone: 0330 0440 1600
• Fax: 0300 440 1625
• Email: osenquires@os-energy.org
• Post: Ombudsman Service: Energy, PO Box 966, Warrington WA4 9DF

To find out more about the Energy Ombudsman, visit www.ombudsman-services.org/energy

Advice UK - An umbrella organisation which has lists of community organisations who can offer free and impartial advice

• Website: http://www.adviceuk.org.uk/

Energy Saving Trust - Provides free advice and information to people across the UK looking to save energy, conserve water and reduce waste - including directing people to grants to make change happen, from cavity walls, to loft insulation and installing more renewable energy sources. Call 0800 512 012.

• Website: http://www.est.org.uk/

GB Energy - Specialise in significantly reducing energy usage (utilising a whole range of energy efficiency measures, grants and finance) for domestic, commercial and public sector clients throughout the North West. Would welcome the opportunity to help you or your business cut your energy consumption and therefore your bills.

• Website: http://www.gb-energy.com/

National Energy Action (NEA) - NEA develops and promotes energy efficiency services to tackle the heating and insulation problems of low-income households. Working in partnership with central and local government; with fuel utilities, housing providers and health services; and with consumer organisations, NEA aims to eradicate fuel poverty and campaigns for greater investment in energy efficiency to help those who are poor or vulnerable.

• Website: http://www.nea.org.uk/

OFGEM - Ofgem is the Office of the Gas and Electricity Markets. Ofgem is the regulator for Britain's gas and electricity industries. Its role is to promote choice and value for all customers.

• Website: http://www.ofgem.gov.uk/

OFWAT - Ofwat is the economic regulator of the water and sewerage sectors in England and Wales. Its role is to promote choice, good quality service and value for all customers.

• Website: http://www.ofwat.gov.uk/

When you become a White Rose Energy customer you have access to some great benefits:

• Protection from price rises with fixed contracts.
• Easy to understand billing so you are in control of your energy use.
• Online accounts meaning you can access your account details any time, any place.
• Freephone access to trained, dedicated advisers, right here in the UK.
• Free energy efficiency advice on how you can save energy and money.

Switching to us is easy and hassle free. To get a quick quote, head over to get a quote or call us free on 0800 022 3553. Please note that you can call 0800 numbers from your mobile free of charge.

Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 (ICAC).

• As a White Rose Energy customer, you will be given clear and easy to understand information by us (pre-contract information and contract confirmation). This should be supplied before you agree to buy anything from us.
• If you decide you want to cancel your energy contract with White Rose Energy, please call our customer service team on 0800 022 3553.
• White Rose Energy will also give you a copy of our terms and conditions relating to your energy contract.
• You can cancel your contract within 14 days (cooling-off period) without giving a reason via phone or 'Durable Medium', e.g. letter, email, text, personal account.

Methods of cancellation:

Cancellation of a contract can be via any durable medium; e.g. letter, email, text, personal account, or by telephone on 0800 022 3553.

This is to ensure that, should a dispute arise at some point after the contract has been concluded, both parties have a record about what was agreed.

The burden of proof that the relevant information has been provided rests with the trader. In this instance, White Rose Energy.

A durable medium allows the consumer to access information directed personally to them, in an unchangeable format for as long as they might reasonably need it.

For off-premises contracts

As a customer of White Rose Energy, you will need to confirm and agree to receive information on a durable medium other than paper.

By Phone

White Rose Energy offers a freephone telephone helpline for you to contact us or cancel your contract.

You can call White Rose Energy, for free, on 0800 022 3553.

To 'know your rights' and for free, independent, confidential, and impartial advice on consumer issues visit www.citizensadvice.org.uk/energy. You can also call the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0345 404 0506 or fill in their energy query form. You can do any of this at any point during the complaints process.

Coming soon - our 'Direct Debit information leaflet' will be available for download.

Your electricity network operator looks after the safety and security of your electricity supply. If you have an electrical emergency or the power goes off, contact your operator right away. All UK operators are listed below, so find their number, make a note of it and keep it somewhere you’ll remember.

The following information will help you contact the right organisation in the event of a power cut in your area:

Map and contact information kindly provided by the Energy Networks Association.

By providing us with your meter readings, we can make sure that you receive accurate bills. Pay-As-You-Go customers don’t need to read their meters because the reading is automatically recorded by us each time you top up.

How do I read my meter?

Here are the different types of gas and electricity meters and how to read them.

1. Single Rate Meter

Meter reading is 07220. Write down the five numbers shown from left to right.
Ignore the last number(s) which may be shown in red.

2. Two Rate meter

Meter reading is 56315, 27457. For top and bottom rows, write down the numbers shown left to right. Ignore the last number(s) which may be shown in red.

3. Two Rate Single Display Meter

Some two rate meters only have one digital display and they either flash up the different rate readings in a cycle or you need to press the button to make the display cycle through the readings for each rate.

4. Dial meter

Meter reading is 76416. Read the first five dials from left to right, ignoring the dial marked 1/10. Write down the number that the pointer has just passed - use the lower of the two numbers either side of the pointer.

It's important to note that the sequence of numbers on each dial can alternate from clockwise to anti-clockwise.

Having problems with your meter?
If your meter has stopped or you're having other problems reading your meter, call us on 0800 022 3553.

Tell us early so we can help you

At White Rose Energy, we understand that there may be times in your life when you find it difficult to keep up with your energy bills. We want to help you through these times - so if you’re having problems, please get in touch right away so we can help - call us free on 0800 022 3553.

There are also some independent organisations that can support you if you're having trouble paying your bills.

• National Debt line is a free service offering debt advice. Call Monday to Friday from 8.00am to 6.00pm, or Saturdays from 9.30am to 1.00pm on Freephone 0808 808 4000.
• Citizens Advice aims to provide the advice people need for the problems they face. For England call 08444 111 444 and for Wales call 08444 77 20 20.
• Money Advice Trust is a charity that helps people to tackle debts and manage their money wisely.
• StepChange is a charity offering free advice to help people overcome their debt problems. Call Freephone 0800 138 1111.

1.Traditional PAYG

When your meter credit is running low, you will need to visit a PayPoint, Post Office, or Payzone to top up your Pay-As-You-Go key or card. The process is similar to the Pay-As-You-Go arrangement for a mobile phone.

Your nearest top up points can be found using the links below:

www.paypoint.com

www.payzone.co.uk

www.postoffice.co.uk

Can I make payments over the phone or online?

Traditional (non-smart) PAYG customers can not top up online. However, you can request a free installation of a smart PAYG meter if you would like the improved functionality and wider top-up options that smart offers.You can call us on 0800 022 3553, 8am – 8pm Monday to Friday and 9am – 5pm Saturday, if you want to discuss smart PAYG meters.

However if you’re having problems with your credit please call one of our customer service officers who will be happy to advise you.

2. Smart PAYG

With smart PAYG, you can top-up using PayPoint if you prefer a cash based option, but for convenience we would recommend that customers use our online, phone, or text methods, which require far less time and effort (N.B. Payzone and Post Offices are not open to smart customers).

Switching to White Rose Energy is easy. To get a quick quote use this website or call us free on 0800 022 3553. Don't worry, we’ll contact the supplier for you and take care of all of the necessary arrangements to get you on the best tariff.

It’s easy to get free, independent advice so that you ‘know your rights’ as an energy consumer. You might want to get a better deal, find out how to make a complaint, get information about your electricity or gas supply, or ask for help if you’re struggling to pay your bills. To ‘know your rights’ visit Citizens Advice for up to date information or contact the Citizens Advice consumer service on 0345 404 0506.

Download the Citizens Advice Know Your Rights Leaflet.

With a monthly Direct Debits, we agree an amount that automatically comes out of your bank account on a specific date each month. There are two ways to pay by Direct Debit, monthly fixed and monthly variable:

• Monthly fixed – This is where we take the same amount on the same date each month. This helps spread your energy costs evenly throughout the year, so you’ll avoid paying higher bills during the winter.

As the amount of energy you use will change month to month, sometimes the amount you pay will not cover the amount you’ve used whereas in other months you may use less than you have actually paid for.

If you regularly overpay then you will build up credit on your account and in time we will reduce your monthly direct debit amount. In the same way, if you often underpay then you will accumulate a debt on your account and we will (with your permission) increase your monthly direct debit amount in order to get you back in credit.

• Monthly variable – With this type of billing you pay for the actual amount of energy you use each month.

For both types of Direct Debit, we’ll send you a bill ten days before we collect your Direct Debit payment.

If you’re behind on your bills and you pay by Direct Debit, you can still make a one off payment by debit or credit card to catch up. This will be in addition to your normal monthly Direct Debit payment.

We want to ensure that all our customers receive the best possible service to meet their needs. If you have special requirements, you can add your details to the Priority Services Register. This is a list of customers who may need additional support.

Customers who qualify for the Priority Services Register include:

• Customers of pensionable age
• Customers with a disability
• Customers who have long term health issues

As well as letting you know about service changes or outages (to ensure you have resources to cover any equipment you may need), we’ll provide a meter reading service if you are unable to read your meter yourself, and provide large print or Braille bills where required.

If you'd like to join the Priority Services Register, or find out more, please call customer services on 0800 022 3553 or get in touch.

Cold Weather Payments are made when the temperature outside is either recorded as, or forecast to be, an average of zero degrees Celsius or below over seven consecutive days. You’ll get a payment of £25 for each seven-day period of very cold weather between the 1st of November and the 31st of March.

To qualify, you must get the State Pension or another social security benefit (but not Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, Child Benefit, or Universal Credit). To find out more, or to check your eligibility, visit the government's Cold Weather Payment information pages.

If you smell burning or if there is smoke coming from your fuse board, lights, or sockets – or if you or anyone else in your property is at immediate risk - call 999 immediately.

For advice about electrical safety, visit Electrical Safety First.

We take your safety seriously. If someone comes to your door who says they’re from White Rose Energy, here are some things you can do to make sure they are a member of our staff or one of our representatives.

Check their ID

Our representatives always carry identification cards. Don’t worry about asking to check their card carefully – genuine representatives of White Rose Energy won’t mind at all.

Call us

If you’re unsure that someone who’s come to your home really is a White Rose Energy representative, call us on 0800 022 3553 before you let them in. We’ll check their details.

Join our password scheme

If you want that added bit of extra security why not use our free password scheme? Simply choose a password and then call us on 0800 022 3553 and let us know what it is. We will then make sure that anyone from White Rose Energy that is visiting your home can confirm it to you. Please select a password that is unique enough that no-one would be able to guess it.

Switching can take up to about five weeks. This includes a fourteen day cooling off period once you agree a contract with us. This allows you to cancel the switch should you decide to change your mind.

We’re always happy to help so if you’ve lost your payment key or card, call us on 0800 022 3553 Monday to Friday, 8am – 8pm, Saturdays, from 9am – 5pm, so that we can arrange to get a new one sent to you. Please have your account number ready when you call us. There could be a £8.25 charge for this to cover our costs. If we do post a replacement out to you, it can take up to 7 working days to arrive. We will do what we can to ensure you are not without gas or electricity whilst waiting for your replacement.

Follow this link to download the document.

If you have a problem with your pay-as-you-go meter outside our opening hours, including on Bank Holidays please call 0800 022 3553 and you will be put through to our out of hours team during the hours specified below:

Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year's Day - Our call centre is closed. Pay-As-You-Go customers can be transferred to our out-of-hours support service from 9am until 5pm.

With this payment method once you receive your bill you then pay for the energy you’ve used in that month, but arrange the payment yourself. This can be made via a variety of different methods such as over the phone, in banks by cash, or by cheque, which makes it an alternative for anyone who is uncomfortable with using Direct Debits facilities, or is unable to have them for whatever reason, e.g. their bank account doesn’t allow it.

There are many ways to pay once you receive your bill:

• Online or by phone (0800 022 3553).
• At a PayPoint – you can pay by cash, credit or debit card at any PayPoint terminal. You will need your bill to complete this transaction as the PayPoint unit will need to scan the barcode to allocate the payment to your account with White Rose Energy.
• At the Post Office – you can pay by cash or cheque. You will need your bill and payment slip. Cheques should be made payable to Post Office Ltd.

If you are worried that fumes containing carbon monoxide are escaping from a gas appliance, call the 24-hour National Gas emergency hotline on 0800 111 999.

Our advice is to get appliances tested regularly. For protection from carbon monoxide poisoning, make sure that all of your fuel-burning appliances – including stoves, fires, boilers and water heaters – are serviced annually by a qualified and registered engineer. Please use carbon monoxide detectors in your home too.

Coming soon - our 'credit & debt management leaflet' will be available for download.

• Mon 23rd December - 8am til 8pm
• Tues 24th December (Christmas Eve) - 9am til 5pm
• Wed 25th December (Christmas Day) - Closed
• Thurs 26th December (Boxing Day) - Closed
• Fri 27th December - 9am til 5pm
• Sat 28th December - 9am til 5pm
• Sun 29th December - Closed
• Mon 30th December - 8am til 8pm
• Tues 31st December (NYE) - 9am til 5pm
• Wed 1st January (NYD) - Closed

Why not move with us?

If you are moving house, to somewhere else in the Yorkshire and Humber region, we’ll still be able to supply your energy if you want us to, and we can provide help and advice to make this a reality if you contact us.

Moving into a house with a PAYG meter?

If you are moving to a house that already has a gas or electricity PAYG meter you will need to give us some information to make sure we can set up your account correctly. You will need to contact us to get your own PAYG card or key. Using a previous occupant’s PAYG card or key can mean that any money you pay may be credited to the previous occupant’s account.

If you are moving to a property without a PAYG meter then we advise you to talk to our customer service officers who can advise you further.

What information will White Rose Energy need from you?

When you move property we will ask you for the information listed below:

• A meter reading from the property you’re leaving. These should be taken on or close to the date that you leave the property;
• An indication of how much debt or credit is on your meter;
• The Meter Serial Number - it’s on the front of your meter next to the barcode, and looks something like: X00L12345;
• Your new address and the date you’re moving;, and,
• The meter readings from the property you move into. These should be taken on or close to the date that you move into the property.

Where can you find your new meter readings?

To get the readings White Rose Energy need from the PAYG meter in your new house, use the display button on the meter. Press the button and write down what’s displayed on the screen and then contact our customer service team on 0800 022 3553 and we’ll set up a new account for you.

Once this is completed, we can send a new key or card to you by post or we’ll give you a unique reference number (URN) that you can use to pick up your new key/card from a local outlet. This may not be the usual outlet you use to top up your PAYG key or card but please don't be concerned if it isn't.

Action on Hearing Loss

The largest charity supporting people who are deaf, have a hearing loss or suffer from tinnitus. Contact them for free information on equipment that could help.

• Website: actiononhearingloss.org.uk
• Phone: 0808 808 0123
• Text phone: 0808 808 9000
• SMS: 0780 000 0360 (standard text message rate applies)
• Email: information@hearingloss.org.uk

Age UK

Advice for older people on money, care, health, housing and more.

• Website: ageuk.org.uk
• Phone: 0800 169 6565

Citizens Advice (CAB)

It’s easy to get free, independent advice so that you “Know your rights” as an energy consumer. You might want to get a better deal, find out how to make a complaint, get advice about the quality of your electricity or gas supply, or ask for help if you’re struggling to pay your bills.

• Website: citizensadvice.org.uk/energy
• Phone: 08454 04 05 06

Disability Rights UK

Promoting independent living for disabled people as well as giving support to carers.

• Website: disabilityrightsuk.org

The Royal National Institute of Blind people (RNIB)

RNIB offers information, support and advice to people with sight loss.

• Website: rnib.org.uk
• Phone: 0303 123 9999

Royal Voluntary Service

The Royal Voluntary Service exists to help older people stay active, independent and able to be a part of their community by providing practical and emotional help when it’s needed.

• Website: royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk
• Phone: 0845 600 5885

Scope UK

Working to make the world a better place for disabled people and their families.

• Website: scope.org.uk
• Phone: 0808 800 3333

Sense

The national charity that supports and campaigns for children and adults who are deafblind.

• Website: sense.org.uk
• Phone: 0300 330 9256
• Minicom: 0300 330 9256
• Email: info@sense.org.uk

Prepayment, or Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) meters allow you to pay for your energy usage upfront. They are ideal for certain situations such as for landlords who rent a house out.

A PAYG meter allows you to pay for your gas or electricity before you use it, and helps to manage the cost of your energy supply and avoid high bills. With PAYG, a sum of money is loaded on to a card or key and can then be used on a PAYG basis. When your key or card runs out, you will have to visit a top up outlet to get it recharged. The process is similar to the PAYG arrangement for a mobile phone.

How can a PAYG meter help you?

A PAYG meter allows you to pay for your energy as you use and need it. Usage of gas and electricity varies over the year, peaking during the winter months when a typical gas customer can get through about half their total annual energy use.

One way to manage this peak is to regularly top up your meter throughout the year, storing credit during the warmer months to help you through the more expensive winter period.

Paying for your gas and electricity

If your meter runs out of credit you will not be able to access gas and electricity at your property so it is recommended that you top up regularly, it’s quick and easy to do. If you have a traditional PAYG meter you can top up anywhere you see the purple and yellow PayPoint sign, at any Payzone outlet, or at the Post Office. People with smart PAYG meters can also top-up by text, by phone, or online.

If you, or someone you care for, are finding it difficult to pay your energy bill, we can help you. We'll take into account your circumstances so you'll need to tell us about your situation. Our Customer Service officers will listen and advise you on the payment options available.

At White Rose Energy you can call our customer service team on 0800 022 3553 and discuss our PAYG tariff with them.

Moving Home

If you are moving house, we'll still be able to supply your energy and can provide help and advice on continuing your energy supply.

Moving into a house with a Prepayment/Pay-As-You-Go meter

If you are moving to a house that already has a gas or electricity PAYG meter, you will need to give us some information to make sure we can set up your account correctly. The information we will ask you to supply is listed below:

• A meter reading from the house you're leaving (if your supply was with White Rose Energy)
• Your new address and the date you're moving
• The meter readings from the house you move in to

To get the readings we need from the PAYG meter in your new house, use the display button on the meter. Write down what's displayed on the screen and then contact our customer service team on 0800 022 3553 and we'll set up a new account for you. Once your account has been set up, we will send you a key/card so you can top up your meter.

We can assure you that that there will be absolutely no disruption to your supply.

You could get between £100 and £300 tax-free to help pay your heating bills if you were born on or before 5 July 1952. Winter Fuel Payments are made automatically between November and December if you get the State Pension or another social security benefit (but not Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, Child Benefit or Universal Credit).

CAB-Know-Your-Rights-Leaflet-(Consumer-Information)

If you're on certain benefits, you can arrange to pay your fuel arrears direct from your benefits if you’re having difficulties. This is called ‘third party deductions’.

To qualify you must be on one or more of the following benefits:

• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Income Support
• Pension Credit

Deductions are made each time your benefits are paid. £3.65 will be deducted from each benefit to pay off the debt you owe, plus an extra amount to cover your bills in the future.

Fuel direct is often cheaper and more convenient than a PAYG meter - and you won't run out of gas or electricity.

The amount is decided by Jobcentre Plus or your pension centre, but if it’s going to be more than 25% of your benefits, you’ll be asked to agree to the deduction.

If it’s less than 25% of your benefits, the deduction can be made without you agreeing to it. You’ll be told what the deductions are going to be, and if they’re going to change.

You will receive a bill or statement from us monthly so you know how much you are spending on your energy. We are different from other energy suppliers who bill quarterly as we want to be completely transparent to our customers about how much they are spending on energy. Quarterly billing could put a big strain on the finances of customers and this is something we’re keen to avoid. Using monthly billing is beneficial because it means that large bills will not accumulate over long periods. Monthly billing helps customers to budget much more effectively for their energy costs.

If you’re off supply and you’ve topped up but your supply isn’t coming back on, check the balance on your meter – you might not have added enough credit to get your supply going.

If you’ve lost your PAYG key or card, please call 0800 022 3553 during our opening hours so that we can arrange a new one for you. There could be a £8.25 charge for this to cover our costs.

If you have an emergency with your meter, you can contact us at the following times:

Electricity

7.00am to 7.00pm from Monday to Friday

9.00am to 5.00pm on Saturdays, Sundays, and Bank Holidays

For an electricity emergency, we will send an engineer out to you within three hours on a weekday and within four hours on Saturdays, Sundays, and Bank Holidays. If you contact us outside of these hours, we will handle your query from the start of the next day.

Gas

8.00am to 8.00pm from Monday to Friday

9.00am to 5.00pm on Saturdays, Sundays, and Bank Holidays

For a gas emergency, we will send an engineer out to you within four hours. If you contact us outside of these hours, we will handle your query from the start of the next day.

If you have an issue that doesn’t relate to your meter, you will need to call your network company, who will be available 24/7.

We understand that there may be periods in your life where it might be difficult to keep up with your energy payments. If you, or someone you care for, are finding it difficult to pay for energy, we will try to help you. We’ll take into account your circumstances so you’ll need to tell us about your situation. Any information you do give us will be treated in the strictest of confidence. Our customer service officers will listen and advise you on the payment options available.

Please get in touch as early as possible when you face any financial difficulties so we can do something to help before it becomes more of a problem. You can call our team free on 0800 022 3553 Monday to Friday, 8am until 8pm, or Saturdays between 9am and 5pm.

PAYG meters and debt

If you’ve had a PAYG meter installed to help you to repay a debt, it will be collected from the credit you put onto your meter. If you check the displays on your meter regularly you’ll see the debt amount reducing as you add credit. Once you’ve paid the debt in full your meter will automatically stop collecting payments from the credit you add when you top-up.

Having trouble paying your bills?

There are also independent organisations that can support you if you’re having trouble paying your bills. For further information check out our Q&A section for 'Help and Independent Support'.

We want to ensure that all our customers receive the best possible service to meet their needs. If you have special requirements, you can add your details to the Priority Services Register. This is a list of customers who may need additional support.

Customers who qualify for the Priority Services Register include:

• Customers of pensionable age;
• Customers with a disability; and,
• Customers who have long term health issues.

As well as letting you know about service changes or outages (to ensure you have resources to cover any equipment you may need), we’ll provide a meter reading service if you are unable to read your meter yourself, and provide large print or Braille bills where required.

If you'd like to join the Priority Services Register, or find out more, please call our customer services on 0800 022 3553 or get in touch.

What is emergency credit?

Emergency credit is mainly for traditional PAYG customers to help them during those times when they can’t get to a Post Office, PayPoint or Payzone outlet. For example, if your meter runs out in the night or you’re snowed in and can’t get out of your home for a while. For smart PAYG customers, emergency credit shouldn't be needed as much as they can top-up by phone, text, or online.

How does it work?

If you are not able to get to a top-up retailer, you can access £5 of emergency credit on your utilities, which will be deducted from your credit when you next top-up. After you’ve used the emergency credit you’ll have to pay it back, including any outstanding debt and standing charges that have built up while you’ve been using the emergency supply. Whilst in emergency credit the standing charge will not be applied but please be aware that this will be calculated and deducted from your credit balance when you do finally top-up your meter.

When should you use emergency credit?

It is important to be aware that you should only use the emergency credit in a genuine 'emergency'. Examples of this include becoming snowed in, if your credit runs out in the middle of the night, you are ill, or if you unexpectedly become housebound or generally are unable to leave your home to top-up.

Please note that if you are a smart PAYG customer and you can stay out of your emergency credit facility for a continuous 3 month period, you will be eligible to have your smart meter switched into credit mode, which will give you access to cheaper deals on your energy bills. We will contact you automatically to offer you this service if you satisfy the criteria.

How can you access your emergency credit?

When you want to use your emergency credit, insert your key or card into the meter. You’ll then be offered the emergency credit. Follow the instructions on the screen to accept the emergency credit. To return to normal use, you’ll need to charge your card and put the credit back on your meter.

When topping up try to make sure you put enough money on your key or card to pay back any emergency credit and weekly collection you might owe, with enough leftover to still give you the energy you need.

How will you pay your emergency credit back?

Step 1 - The PAYG meter automatically checks if you have a weekly collection to reduce your debt (you’ll have already agreed this with us if you have). If you do and your weekly payment is due, it will take this first from your top-up. If you are paying us back through your meter, you’ll need to stick to the payment schedule we have agreed with you. If you do not, we can ask you to pay us the full amount straight away, or we can ask you to pay us back faster, or in a different way. Either way, we will let you know before we make any changes.

If you don’t have this agreement, this step will be skipped.

Step 2 – Your PAYG meter then assesses if you’ve used any emergency credit or if you owe anything for a standing charge. Your standing charge isn’t collected when you use your emergency credit, so you need to pay it back when you next top up.

Gas and Electricity Emergencies

Information on how to deal with gas or electricity emergencies can be found in the 'Emergencies' section under the Help and Advice library on our website.

Always submit your meter readings so we can make the statement we send you accurate. When you log into your account, it’s quick and easy to provide us with meter reads so you only pay for what you use. Do this regularly to ensure you always pay the right amount for your energy use. To do this login to your online account or give us a call for free on 0800 022 3553.

PAYG meter run out of credit? Need to recharge your card? Need to find your nearest PayPoint?

Call PayPoint on 0845 760 0633 or visit www.paypoint.co.uk

Follow this link to download the document.

If you have a bill that’s been outstanding for more than 28 days, your current supplier could object to you leaving them. This may prevent you joining us White Rose Energy (or any other supplier) until the debt is cleared.

Yes, White Rose Energy are part of the Warm Home Discount Scheme for the Core Group. This scheme is only mandatory for energy suppliers to offer once they reach a customer base of 250,000.

As it is our mission to eradicate fuel poverty, we have opted into the scheme voluntarily before reaching the 250,000 threshold.

These organisations can support you if you're having trouble paying your bills:

• Home Heat Helpline provides free advice to people worried about being able to pay their energy bills. Call Monday to Friday from 9am to 5.30pm on freephone 0800 33 66 99.

• National Debtline is a free service offering debt advice. Call Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm, or Saturday from 9.30am to 1pm on freephone 0808 808 4000.

• Citizens Advice aims to provide advice people need for the problems they face. For England call 08444 111 444..

• Money Advice Trust a charity that helps people to tackle debts and manage their money wisely.

• StepChange is a charity offering free advice to help people overcome their debt problems. Call freephone 0800 138 1111.

Follow this link to download the document.

If you pay by fixed Direct Debit or are on a weekly or fortnightly payment scheme, we’ll send you a statement for information only. If you think your meter reading is incorrect, you can supply your own meter reading either by:

• Logging into your account and recording your meter reading online;
• Calling us on 0800 022 3553; or,
• Promptly returning your own meter reading to the address shown on your bill.

If you think your meter is not working properly, please contact us immediately.

If you move house, let us know on 0800 022 3553 so that we can obtain a final meter reading and discuss the possibility of continuing to supply your energy at your new address.

Pay-As-You-Go meters

If you have a PAYG meter we may not need to read it regularly as we receive updated meter readings when you top up your gas or electricity

Your meter records show how much gas or electricity you use. We will read all credit meters on a regular basis to make sure that your bill or statement is in line with your actual energy consumption. If we cannot read your meter, we may estimate your energy consumption, in which case we print the word ‘estimate’ along with the date the figure quoted was estimated after the meter reading on your bill. If you give us a meter reading we will take all reasonable steps to reflect this in your next bill or statement. However, if we do not think your meter reading is reasonable and accurate, we will contact you to ask for a new meter reading. If you pay monthly by cash or debit/credit card, you’ll receive a bill requesting payment as quickly as possible.

Our prices for your energy are set out in your tariff. You will get a copy of your tariff in your welcome pack. If you are on a fixed price tariff, your welcome pack will tell you when the fixed price term ends. If you are on a variable tariff, your tariff can go up or down. If we change the tariff, we will contact you in advance. This information will also be included on every bill or statement that we send to you.

Our tariffs are made up of the following charges:

1. a ‘standing charge’ - which is a fixed daily amount, and
2. a ‘unit rate’ - an amount per unit of gas or electricity you use. The rate may depend on the time of use.

Follow this link to download the document.

Follow this link to download the document.

On every electrical device the power is measured in watts, for example a 1,200W kettle. To calculate the number of kilowatt-hours (kWh) used over 12 months, the power rating of a piece of equipment is multiplied by the amount of operating hours per day and then by the number of days per year. The total is then divided by 1,000. Any bill will charge you for the amount of kilowatt-hours used within a specific period of time. The number of kilowatt-hours used is multiplied by your price per kilowatt-hour (or ‘unit rate’), and this figure represents the costs of consuming the energy you use around your home.

Your total energy costs also include a standing charge. This is a daily fixed amount that you will see on your gas and electricity bills. Standing charges help to cover fixed costs, such as those relating to the distribution of gas/electricity to your home through the national and regional networks and other costs, such as metering services. A standing charge is applied even if no gas or electricity is used and it accumulates on a daily basis.

Follow this link to download the document.

Monthly fixed Direct Debit payments are re-assessed every six months. Your statement may be adjusted each time a re-assessment is made, in order to better reflect your usage.

Call us free on 0800 022 3553 to update your details.

If you - or someone you care for - are finding it difficult to pay your energy bill, please contact us as soon as you can to tell us about the situation. We will listen and advise you on the available payment options to find one that suits you best.

The options open to you are to:

• Set up an arrangement to pay back an agreed amount each week, fortnightly, or each month, to help you repay what you owe in manageable amounts;
• Have a Pay-As-You-Go meter installed; or
• Pay directly from your benefits using the ‘Fuel Direct’ scheme.

What could happen if you don't contact us or you don’t pay?

• If we don't hear from you we will have to take further action (although this is the last thing we want). This could include:
• Contacting you using the details you have given us;
• Passing your account on to a debt collection agency; or,
• Getting a warrant so we can gain entry to your home and fit a Pay-As-You-Go meter where it is safe to do so.

Taking further action is the last thing we want to do, so please contact us as soon as you can. If we don't hear from you we will:

• Contact you using the details you have provided
• Pass your account to a debt collection agency
• Obtain a warrant to gain entry to your home to fit a Pay-As-You-Go meter where it is safe to do so

In the event that you don’t pay and we are unable to install a Pay-As-You-Go meter, we can disconnect your supply. We will not disconnect during the months of October to March if the house occupant is of pensionable age and lives i) alone, or ii) with other people that are all of pensionable age or under the age of 18.

We will take all reasonable steps not to disconnect during the months of October to March if one of the house occupants is disabled, chronically sick or is of pensionable age.

If you do experience any difficulties, call one of our Customer Services Officers on 0800 030 4567 as soon as possible. We are open 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday, and 8am to 5pm on Saturday.