Will I need to pay my first direct debit payment upfront?

If you pay by monthly direct debit, most suppliers will take your first payment upfront – usually on or around the day your switch completes – so you may end up paying your final bill with your old supplier and your first direct debit with your new supplier in the same month.

You won’t lose this money, it will be added to your account to pay for your future usage, and if you build up lots of credit you can always ask for it back or you’ll be refunded when you switch again.

Suppliers that don’t ask you to pay in advance include British Gas, EDF, Scottish Power, Green Energy UK, Utility Warehouse and Utilita. Unless you’re switching to one of these, it’s likely you’ll need to pay upfront for your energy.