Robin Hood Energy Closes: what you need to know

Nottingham City Council-run Robin Hood Energy has announced plans to close - almost five years to the day the supplier was launched.

Previously championed by former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn for its not-for-profit ethos, the supplier is selling its customer base of 115,000 households and 2,600 businesses to British Gas, one of the Big Six energy providers it initially set out to tackle.

Robin Hood Energy supplied a number of other regional energy providers under a ‘white-label’ agreement. Customers of Angelic Energy, Beam Energy, CitizEN Energy, Ebico, Fosse Energy, Great North Energy, The Leccy, RAM Energy, Southend Energy, White Rose Energy and Your Energy Sussex will also see their supply moved over to British Gas.

All 250 Robin Hood Energy staff are set to lose their jobs as part of the sale, which is still unlikely to make up losses of around £38 million.

What happens next?

If you’re a Robin Hood Energy customer, your transfer to British Gas will start in mid-September unless you opt to switch to another supplier.

British Gas has said it will write to all customers of Robin Hood Energy and its white-label suppliers to outline its terms and conditions, and how the transfer will affect them.

In the meantime, your supply will remain unaffected and you’ll continue to receive your gas and electricity as usual.

I’m on a Robin Hood fixed tariff - do I need to cancel my Direct Debit?

No, your Direct Debit will automatically be transferred over to your new British Gas account. The only difference you will notice is that ‘British Gas’ will now appear on your statements, instead of Robin Hood Energy.

Will my Robin Hood Energy top-up key or card work after the transfer to British Gas?

If you’re a prepayment customer, British Gas will send you a new key or card, which can be topped up at any Payzone location or Post Office.

If you are a Smart PAYG customer, any credit on your meter will be automatically transferred to your new British Gas account.

If you have a traditional prepayment meter, you must use up any credit left on your Robin Hood Energy account before using your new British Gas key or card. Any credit on the meter will be cleared when you insert your new key or card for the first time.

What happens to the remaining credit or debt on my Robin Hood Energy account?

All existing account credit and debt will be transferred over to your new British Gas account. You can then either use it to cover your energy usage or claim a refund.

If you are struggling to pay for your energy there are a number of home energy schemes you may qualify for.

Will my smart meter still work?

Your smart meter will likely lose its smart capability after the transfer. You will therefore need to arrange with British Gas to have a new smart meter installed once your supply is transferred.

Will I still receive payment on my Robin Hood Energy feed-in tariff?

Robin Hood Energy is leaving the Feed-In Tariff scheme as part of its sale, so you will need to sign up to a new FiT licensee. You can find a list of these on the Ofgem website.

I don’t want to transfer to British Gas - what are my options?

If you don’t want to move your gas and electricity supply to British Gas, you are free to switch to another provider and you will not be charged an exit fee.

What does Robin Hood Energy say about the sale to British Gas?

Councillor David Mellen, leader of Nottingham City council, said: “We know this is a very sad day for the business and its employees who have played a part in creating a more dynamic and customer orientated market for all energy consumers.

“The council set up Robin Hood Energy back in 2015 in response to the level of fuel poverty in the city and concerns that the energy industry was not acting in the best interests of consumers, particularly those who relied on pre-payment meters. The aim was to reduce energy prices in Nottingham and the company achieved this initially.”