'Don't panic' – advice for Caithness residents following latest energy supplier collapse

Energy firms Green and Avro Energy have become the latest providers to go bust following a sharp rise in wholesale gas prices.

With the recent collapse of several firms, and others seeking financing, hundreds of thousands of customers will be moved to new suppliers.

Advice Direct Scotland (ADS), which runs the national energyadvice.scot service, issued advice to consumers affected in Scotland.

The key message is that customers should not panic and should not immediately switch to another supplier, as a new company will be chosen by regulator Ofgem, their energy supply will continue, and customers will not lose any money owed to them.

If you have a prepayment meter, your new supplier should tell you how you will get a replacement key or card and provide a new prepayment meter if necessary.

Colin Mathieson, spokesperson for ADS, said: “These firms are unlikely to be the last to collapse as small suppliers struggle with soaring gas price rises.

“Hundreds of thousands of customers will be affected, but the key advice remains the same: don’t panic. There will be no loss of supply or money owed to customers, and Ofgem will switch people to a new supplier.

“However, energy companies will be allowed to lift the price cap by as much as 12 per cent from October, so it is inevitable that many people will face higher charges down the line – and this is a worrying time for many."

Anyone in Scotland with concerns can contact energyadvice.scot for free, impartial and practical advice by visiting www.energyadvice.scot, or calling 0808 196 8660 between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.

Detailed advice is available here: energyadvice.scot/energysupplier/

Update: A new article explains what happened with Avro Energy, what customers can expect, the tariffs they will be transferred on with Octopus Energy and how the switch to the new supplier will be handled. It can be accessed at: www.switch-plan.co.uk/suppliers/avro-energy/

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