Invoice and payments

Here's where you can find the support and information you need regarding your invoice, including handy guides to help you understand your invoices, cost breakdowns, payment options and FAQs.

Where to start

Energy bills can be complicated. That's why we've listened to you and acted on your feedback, so we can make them as simple as possible. We've broken your invoices down in a handy guide below, so you can understand what each section means. There's also some helpful links to access your invoices and any other queries you might have.

A breakdown of a typical SSE Energy Solutions invoice page

Invoice guide

More options

Flexible ways to pay

How to pay

Manage your account

Moving premises

Moving in / out

Got a question?

We've answered some of the most frequently asked questions to help make your journey easier.

Typically, invoices are issued monthly if you have a smart meter up and running and your first invoice should arrive in the post within the first six weeks of the start of your contract. You can view your invoices via your online account here

You can download copies of your invoices via your online account, just log in here. If a change of circumstances means you don't receive an invoice, such as a change of address, please update us of your new details either by our contact form here or by calling 03457 25 25 26.

You can sign up to receive an email alert when your next statement is produced. Just log into your online account here, locate the energy contract and report page and tick the box for accounts you wish to receive an email alert. This notification will include a pdf of your latest bill.

This is dependant on the type of contract you have for your meter(s). If you're on a monthly contract, you will receive monthly invoices. If you have a quarterly contract, you'll get your invoices every three (3) months. You can find out what type of contract you have via your online account, just log in here

Your final invoice will be generated based on your new suppliers initial reading - so don't forget to provide them with a reading on the day you're switching. You can find more information about moving premises here

We've created a page to help you understand your new invoice and where to find the information you need most. Click here

A minus sign on your invoice indicates a credit value, but this minus sign as the bill total for a refund to be made.

You can see on your invoice if you're in credit or debit, you can see a helpful guide here. This information is also displayed in your online account. If you'd like to know more about credit refunds, please visit this page

The Direct Debit discount amounts to a pence per Kilowatt Hour value of 0,1p/kWh for gas and 0.5p/kWh for electricity. This amount is set for the duration of your contract, unless the payment method is changed from / to Direct Debit. You can see this amount in your invoice, which will be included in the unit price. You can confirm you're receiving the Direct debit discount by contacting us on 03457 25 25 26.

Your contract end date is displayed on each of your invoices and you can also see your end date via your online account by logging in here

The price you are paying can be broken down into two charges - your unit rate/s and your standing charges. Both of these will be clearly displayed on your invoices, which you can see here and also by viewing your invoices in your online account here

The Feed-In Tariff (FIT) scheme is an environmental programme aimed at encouraging widespread use of small-scale, low carbon, electricity generation technologies. The FIT scheme requires certain licensed electricity suppliers to pay fixed tariffs to micro, small renewable and micro Combined Heat & Power (CHP) generators for electricity generated and exported to the National Grid.

The FIT scheme policy and tariff rates are set by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), but the scheme is administered by FIT Licensees and Ofgem. FITS will not be listed separately in the near future. For further information please take a look here

Climate Change Levy is a government-imposed tax and is subject to change every year on 01 April. The CCL was introduced to encourage the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. It is also intended to encourage businesses to use energy more efficiently. CCL is charged on the units/kWh used and is index linked.

VAT can also be charged on the Climate Change Levy - except where the supply qualifies for the reduced VAT rate. Renewable energy is exempt from CCL.

VAT is normally charged on electricity and gas at the standard rate of 20%. However, there is a 'low energy consumption' level that is charged at a lower rate of 5%. The low energy consumption level equates to an average business electricity demand of 33kWh a day in the billing period or business gas of 145kWh a day in the billing period.

You can qualify for a lower VAT rate once a declaration form has been sent to the HMRC and all rules have been met. To complete your form, click here

The AVCAP charge is calculated as pence per kWh (Kilowatt Hour). AVCAP stands for available capacity and is agreed by the customer with the Distribution Network Operator (DNO).

There are many different circumstances that can affect your energy usage. New equipment installed, different working hours, a more energy-intensive process at the workplace or a lack of up-to-date meter readings. You can get the most recent energy usage data by logging into your online account here. You can also raise an enquiry with us by completing our online form here

The most effective way to guarantee accurate billing is to provide up-to-date meter readings, you can do this quickly and easily via your online account here. Smart meters also ensure your energy usage is accurate and you can keep monitor your energy consumption, visit (https://www.sseenergysolutions.co.uk/business-energy/smart-meters) for more information.

An invoice based on an estimated meter reading is issued when we didn't receive a meter reading for that invoice period. We send out reminders near the end of your billing cycle to help you avoid future estimated invoices. You can sign up for a smart meter here which will automatically update us with your up-to-date readings, helping you avoid estimated billing.

If you send us a meter reading that indicates you've used a lot more or less energy than the estimated reading shows, we'll send you a replacement or unscheduled invoice that adjusts to your actual meter reading. The invoice will vary, depending on when you sent your reading and how much energy you have used. You can keep track of meter readings and your energy usage by installing a smart meter and logging into your online account here

You can get in touch with our team using the 'Contact us' form and then select 'SME Billing enquiries, complete with an up-to-date reading - (https://www.sseenergysolutions.co.uk/forms/business-energy/contact-us) . You can also call us on 03457 25 25 26 (option 1).

You may receive an invoice after moving premises due to backbilling, which is an Ofgem regulation. This happens when you may not have been accurately billed for the energy you've used. You can avoid this occurring by sending in regular meter readings via your online account here. If you believe this has happened in error, you can get in touch with us by using our contact us form and select 'SME Billing Enquiries' or call us on 03457 25 25 26 (option 1).

You'll also receive a final bill after leaving your property, charging you for the energy you consumed until the site was vacated.

You can speak to our team by using our contact us form and select 'SME Billing Enquiries' or call us on 03457 25 25 26 (option 1) with your account details to hand.