Help and Support > Energy FAQs

Energy Faqs.

Looking for a little assistance with your Clear Business energy service?

Find the most frequently asked questions and answers below. If you are unable to find your answer please contact our Customer Service team on 0333 014 3131.

Do you offer any online tools?
Yes, you can take advantage of the online tools we offer by signing up to the Customer Zone. This will give you access to your invoices online, you can submit meter reads and you can benefit from the ongoing introduction of new tools we are developing to manage your account.

Find out all about Clear Business in the About section here.

What do I do if I have a gas leak / power cut?

If you experience a gas leak, report it immediately to National Grid on 0800 111 999. Or in the event of a power cut, please call 105 to get information, advice and any updates on power outages in your area.

Once the gas leak / power cut has been resolved, can I seek compensation from Clear Business?
If you are unfortunate enough to experience a gas leak or power cut, Clear Business will make every effort to ensure that your services are restored as quickly as possible, with minimal inconvenience and disruption to you and your business. Although we don’t offer compensation, we would advise you to seek appropriate business insurance.
Will I get billed quarterly?
No. You’ll be billed monthly, which allows you to check your bills more regularly and spreads the cost out more evenly over the year.
How is my monthly direct debit calculated?
If you have a meter, we use meter reads to calculate your usage. If we do not have an accurate read, we’ll estimate your usage based on your estimated annual consumption (EAC). To ensure your bills are as accurate as possible we recommend you provide us with monthly reads.
How much VAT will I pay?

If your usage for the period is below the de minimis threshold (33kWh/day for electricity, 145 kWh/day for gas) then you will automatically pay the reduced rate of 5% VAT. Where your usage for the period is above this, the standard VAT rate of 20% would apply.

If you run your business from a residential property and your usage is above the threshold, we can apply both the 5% VAT for your domestic usage and 20% for your business usage. If you run a charity you’ll also only be charged the lower rate, 5% VAT. You simply need to complete and return the declaration certificate.

Who reads my meter now and who will read it in the future?

We’d encourage you to provide your current supplier with a final meter read before switching to us. This will become your start reading for us. We’ll read your meter every six months after that, but if it is safe for you to do so we’d recommend submitting readings to us on a monthly basis to ensure you’re billed accurately. You can do this in a matter of click through your exclusive online portal Customer Zone, by emailing meterread@clearbusiness.co.uk or calling 0333 014 3131. For helping on reading your meter, take a look at our guide to meter reading.

What is Climate Change Levy?
Climate Change Levy is an environmental tax that was introduced by the Government and is imposed on all businesses. The levy has been established to respond to global warming and all suppliers charge the same rate.
Do I have to pay Climate Change Levy?

All businesses must pay Climate Change Levy irrespective of who supplies you, unless you can produce a Climate Change Levy exemption certificate. Only charities and some horticultural societies will qualify for exemption. Your local tax office can provide further details if appropriate.

CCL rates applicable from 1 April 2020 are:

* Electricity – 0.811 p/kWh

* Gas – 0.406 p/kWh

The levy is subject to VAT (which is payable at the applicable rate).

What is the Feed-in Tariff?
The Feed-in Tariff (FiT) scheme was introduced by the Government to encourage the adoption of renewable energy sources in homes and businesses. To fund the scheme, electricity suppliers pass through a FiT charge onto the unit rates billed. All our unit rates quoted are inclusive of Feed-in Tariff charges.
How do I report theft?

If you suspect someone of committing Energy theft, or tampering with their meter, please click here.

Is my meter AMR or non AMR?
It’s pretty straight forward to tell the difference, as an AMR has a digital screen and a non AMR usually has spinning dials or clock faces. If you have an AMR your reads will automatically send to us, so you won’t need to provide a customer reading every month.
What do I do if I am moving premises?
Should this be the case, we would ask all customers to call customer services on 0333 014 3131 at least 30 days’ prior to your moving date.
What is the Smart Meter roll out?

It’s a government initiative which states that by 2020 every customer should have a smart meter. However, the timescales and structure of this is currently being reviewed by Ofgem.