You Pay: We Pay - part of the British Gas energy bill support fund

Who is eligible for You Pay: We Pay?

To be eligible for the scheme you must have been a British Gas energy customer for a minimum of 6 months. You also must be able to make payments by Direct Debit and be able to have an assessment of your disposable income either by Open Banking check or a through a debt charity.

I’m a prepayment customer, am I eligible?

This scheme is only available to customers with a credit meter. If you have a prepayment meter, we have Additional Support Credit available. We’re also contacting our eligible prepayment customers proactively if they may be eligible for a credit to help towards their energy usage.

Is there a minimum amount I have to contribute?

There is no minimum requirement for this scheme but, it’s important that our advisers talk to you about your circumstances so we can provide you with the best support.

What are the eligibility checks on my income?

These checks are made by Open Banking and are an affordability assessment that looks at your disposable income.

Why do I have to set up a Direct Debit?

At the moment, the scheme supports Direct Debit payments, however this may change in the future. With a Direct Debit you will get the following benefits:

• You’ll pay a lower unit rate and standing charge
• Payments leave your bank account automatically on the agreed date
• The Direct Debit Guarantee makes it a secure way to pay.

Will you take a different amount to what we agreed?

The Direct Debit will remain at the agreed amount for the six-month period. The only time this would change is at your request or you move to a different tariff.

What if I change my mind and can’t afford the Direct Debit amount agreed?

We can be flexible with the monthly payments depending on your circumstances. If you are having difficulty with the affordability of the Direct Debit, please contact us on 0800 975 9282, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

Can I choose the date of the Direct Debit so it coincides with when I’ll have the money available?

Yes, you can choose any payment date between 1st and 28th of the month.

Do I have to pay the matched amount back to British Gas?

No, you don’t need to be pay the amounts back as they are covered by the scheme.

What happens after the 6-month period?

The Direct Debit will remain in place, but the matched payments will stop being made. You’ll receive an email/letter from us confirming this.

What if I still owe British Gas money after the six months?

We’ll reassess your Direct Debit to take into account any money you owe after all the matched payments have been made and then adjust your repayment amount. We’ll also offer additional help and support with your debt.

When do you credit the matching payments onto my bill?

We aim to apply the matching credits by the 8th of each month, but these may not be visible until your next bill/statement. This payment will show on your statement as ‘You Pay We Pay Credit’. You can also see the payment in your online account and on the British Gas Energy app.

What’s in it for British Gas?

British Gas has created a £140 million support package to provide extra help to our vulnerable customers. You Pay: We Pay is included as part of this fund and offers support during a time where energy costs remain high.

What is Open Banking?

Open Banking is a simple, secure way to share financial information with organisations of your choice. It’s an easy way for us to check your eligibility for the You Pay: We Pay scheme, without you having to fill out lengthy forms. You’ll need to have online banking to be able to process this check and it won’t impact your credit rating or be visible to lenders.

What if I don’t have online banking?

If you don’t have an online bank account, we can accept an income and expenditure report from a debt charity instead.

How does the Open Banking check work?

• When you call our You Pay: We Pay advisers they’ll send you a link by text or email.
• The link will guide you to log into your bank account and consent to an income/expenditure check. You’ll be prompted to add any bank accounts you use so the check is accurate.
• We’ll receive a breakdown of your income and expenditure to assess your disposable income which we’ll use to check your eligibility for the scheme - this usually takes around 5 minutes. And if your income varies month to month, we’ll use an average.
• Once this one-off check is complete, there are no recurring checks.

Full details of this are displayed on the privacy policy on the Open Banking consent page regarding the data used.

Why do you need to do these checks?

These checks are to ensure we are fair and consistent and prioritise this scheme for our most financially vulnerable customers.