Can I refuse to pay my energy bills? Expert advice

From keeping the lights on during the long dark days to having the heating on to keep the cold away.

Winter can be a very expensive time for many UK households with energy bills on top of the cost of living crisis becoming a worrying problem.

As many struggle to pay their increasing bills, some have been left wondering if they can refuse to pay their energy bills and what will happen if they do.

Can I refuse to pay my energy bills?

Answering the question, energy Comparison expert at Binonic, Les Roberts shares "you cannot refuse to pay your energy bill."

Explaining that you could face "real consequences to not paying your energy bills" and how missed payments will show up on your credit scores and impact "other areas of your finances, like mortgage and loan applications."

See what out expert has to say. (Image: Getty)

Les also shared that if you are struggling, you can set up a payment plan which will "take responsibility for resolving your account through a payment plan or by taking away possessions that would cover the cost of the bill."

If you can not pay off debt or work out an agreement with your energy supplier, "your supplier can apply for a court warrant to enter your premises and disconnect your supply" shares Les.

However, there is a way to make sure you are billed accurately and only for the energy you've used, as Les shares how a smart meter could be beneficial for some.

Explaining how a smart meter lets you "only pay for the energy you use and then you can raise a complaint of investigation to dispute the other part of the bill."

Apart from smart meters, there are also Government support schemes, including the Cost of Living payments and Winter Heating Payments.

A smart meter let's you track your energy usage. (Image: Getty)

What does National Citizens Advice suggest?

According to National Citizens Advice, they shared that you should avoid refusing to pay your energy bills as your supplier could "threaten to disconnect you."

Adding that if you are "struggling to afford your gas and electricity bills, contact your supplier to discuss ways to pay what you owe them.

"Your supplier has to help you come to a solution. You should try to negotiate a deal that works for both of you."

Many who struggle to pay energy bills but still want to pay, set up a payment plan with their energy supplier.

As Citizens Advice shared you can agree to a payment plan where you pay "fixed amounts over a set period of time, meaning you’ll pay what you can afford."

However, if you can not afford the cost of your energy bills, you can talk to your supplier again to check if they are charging too much or to negotiate a better deal.

In some situations, your energy supplier may make you have a prepayment meter installed.