How long can I be chased for an energy bill?

Yes - but only for a set period of time.

Energy bills are known as unsecured debts - this means they’re not tied to your home or other assets.

But they are priority debts - the ones that could have the most serious consequences if you don’t pay them, such as having your energy supply cut off.

Energy suppliers can chase you for unpaid bills for up to six years from the date you last made a payment or acknowledged the debt.

After six years, the debt might become “statute barred”.

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, most debts become statute barred if there’s no contact between the debtor and the lender for six years.

So if you owe money to an energy supplier, they can’t take court action as long as: 

• you haven’t made a payment in the last six years
• you haven’t written to them admitting you owe the debt in the last six years
• the lender hasn’t taken out a County Court Judgement (CCJ) against you for the debt in the last six years

If you write to the lender admitting you owe the debt or make a payment towards the debt, the six-year period starts again.

If you suddenly get a letter about a bill from years ago, it can be easy to panic.

But don’t ignore it.

The supplier or debt collector may still be within their rights to chase the debt.

Or the debt might already be statute barred - but you’ll need to check.

Firstly, find out when you last paid the bill or acknowledged the debt.

Check your bank statements, letters or emails if you can.

Next, check if the supplier has taken legal action, such as a CCJ.

You can search for this online or check your credit report.

Don’t admit the debt or making a payment until you’ve had advice.

And ask the supplier for proof of the debt, such as the original bill, the last payment made, or details of any action they’ve taken.

If the energy supplier takes you to court within the six-year period, they could get a County Court Judgment (CCJ) against you.

So you’ll be legally required to repay the debt and the CCJ will stay on your credit file for six years.

That can make it harder to borrow money, get a mortgage or even open some bank accounts.

Once a CCJ is in place, the energy supplier can take further enforcement action, such as applying to take money from your wages or bank account, or using enforcement agents (bailiffs) to collect what you owe.

Ignoring old energy bills might be tempting, but it’s not a good idea.

If your debt isn’t statute barred and you ignore it:

• your debt could be handed to a debt collection agency
• The supplier might take you to court
• you could be visited by bailiffs (in extreme cases)

You don’t have to deal with energy debt on your own.

Help is available.

Speak to your energy supplier

If you’ve fallen behind with your energy bills, contact your supplier to try to come to an arrangement.

If you don’t try to come to a payment arrangement with you supplier, they might make you move onto prepayment or threaten to disconnect you.

Apply for energy support schemes

You might be able to get a grant to help you pay off what you owe from energy companies and charitable trusts.

Most energy companies set aside money to help customers who are really struggling. 

Join the Priority Services Register 

The Priority Services Register (PSR) is a free service that provides extra support to people who need help with their energy supply.

By joining, you could benefit from extra support during power cuts or help to make your billing more understandable.

You could be eligible if you’re disabled, have a long-term medical condition, a mental health condition, communication needs or are pregnant.

Get debt advice

If you’re struggling with your debts, then don’t delay asking for help.

We can advise you on debt solutions if you’re struggling with repayments, and also help you find out what benefits you could be eligible for.