Together Energy Goes Bust: What Next?

By Robert Clarke

Content Editor

The recent energy crisis has seen a number of energy providers go out of business due to rising market costs, the Ofgem price cap and the COVID-19 pandemic. Find out what happens if your energy supplier goes bust and what you should do next.

Together Energy has become the latest supplier to inform its customers they have ceased trading due to the energy price crisis.

With the latest announcement from Together Energy, there are now 27 energy suppliers that have gone bust in 2021/22. Whilst many of the suppliers have been smaller, with fewer than one million customers, the energy sector was rocked in November 2021 with the annoucement that Bulb Energy had become the biggest energy supplier to go bust because of the energy crisis.

Bulb Energy supplied around 1.7M customers across the UK, with its overseas business unaffected, and announced it was going into special administration on 22 November 2021. On 24 November Bulb Energy announced it had appointed an administrator to manage its business until a new supplier can be found to take over its customer-base.

With over 176,000 customers, Together Energy is one of the bigger small energy suppliers to cease trading due to the increased cost of wholesale gas and electricity.

In 2021 alone, Igloo Energy, Enstroga, Symbio Energy, Utility Point, People's Energy, PFP Energy, MoneyPlus, Nabuh, Simplicity Energy, Green Network Energy, Pure Planet, Colorado Energy, Daligas, Hub Energy, Bluegreen Energy, Omni Energy, MA Energy, Zebra Power, Ampower, CNG Energy, Social Energy, Neon Power, Bulb Energy, Entice Energy, Orbit Energy, Together Energy and Zog Energy have all closed their doors for good.

Will I still have energy if my supplier goes bust?

Fortunately, customers will continue to receive gas and electricity, thanks to Ofgem’s Supplier of Last Resort (SoLR) scheme. Under the terms of the scheme, any energy supplier that goes bust has its licence revoked and a bidding process is opened to reassign its customers to another supplier. This can usually take around a few weeks.

If your supplier stops trading, you should take a meter reading and hold on to any recent bills. When an energy supplier goes bust, it will often take its website offline, so we recommend logging in to your customer portal and downloading any bills and statements as soon as you can.

If you were in credit or had a debt with the closed supplier, this will now be transferred to the new supplier. You should contact the new supplier for any questions you may have about your account. If you are unsure who your new supplier is, you can check the table at the bottom of this page.

Should I switch to another provider if my energy supplier goes bust?

UK energy market regulator Ofgem advises waiting for it to appoint a new supplier before switching tariff or energy company. You may find it more difficult to get a refund on any money you are owed by the supplier if you switch before this. If you have an unresolved complaint with your old supplier, you should raise it with your new supplier.

I was in debt with my old supplier. Will I still have to pay it back? You’ll still be expected to pay back any outstanding debt with your previous supplier. Your new supplier will let you know if they are taking on your debt or if you'll have to negotiate a payment plan with an administrator, which is a company that takes over a failing business.

If you’re unhappy once you have been switched over, you do not need to stay with your new energy supplier. You will not be charged an exit fee for leaving and switching to a different supplier or tariff. 

Will I get the same tariff with my new supplier?

Usually, when your energy supplier goes bust, your tariff will automatically end and you are moved on to what is known as a ‘deemed’ tariff with your newly appointed supplier. Deemed tariff rates are often far higher than a provider’s regular rates, so you could end up paying more than you were previously.

Once you have been switched over, you are free to either try and negotiate a cheaper tariff from your new supplier or look elsewhere for a better deal.

I’ve already switched supplier - will this still go through?

If you’re already in the process of switching away from a supplier which has gone bust, this move should still go through and any Direct Debit you had set up with the failed supplier should be cancelled automatically. We still recommend confirming with your bank though, just to be sure.

Will I still receive my Warm Home Discount with the new supplier?

If you qualify for any home energy grants or schemes such as the Warm Home Discount, your new supplier will let you know if it is still available once you transfer over. You are free to switch to a different supplier if your new supplier does not offer the Warm Home Discount.

Will I still be on the priority services register with my new supplier?

The priority services register offers free additional help or services to customers who most need it. If you were on your old supplier’s priority services register, you should find out if you are still on it with your new supplier. If you are not added automatically, you can request it.

Will my smart meter still work when I switch supplier?

If you have an older SMETS1 smart meter it may go into what is known as ‘dumb mode’, which is much the same as how a traditional meter would have worked. Your in-house display will still be operational - the only difference is that it will not calculate your usage into pounds and pence. Instead, you will just see it in kilowatt-hours (kWh).

This also means that automatic meter readings will no longer be sent. If you usually top up using an app, this may stop working as well. If this happens, you'll have to take your own readings and send them to the new supplier manually.

Can I still top up my prepayment meter while waiting for my new supplier?

If you’re a prepayment energy customer waiting to switch, we recommend only topping up small amounts at a time when you have to. It's best to pay only enough to get by for a few days, as your credit could be wiped when your account is transferred. Although you should be able to get your money back eventually, this can be a lengthy, drawn-out process.

I’m not happy with my new supplier. Can I switch?

Once the switch has been finalised, you’re free to shop around for another supplier without having to pay any exit fees or penalties. Here at Selectra, we work together with a panel of top energy suppliers including British Gas and EDF. Speak to an energy expert on 020 3936 0059 or get a free callback and discover our best deals now.

Has my energy supplier gone bust?

Below, we have listed every energy supplier which has gone bust or been taken over since the beginning of 2019. Click on the date next to the supplier name for more information about its closure.