Budget Direct Debit: how many bills do I get – and when do I get them

You usually get two bills a year when you pay by Budget Direct Debit. You get them just after your Direct Debit reviews.

Here's how it works:

1. We ask you for a meter reading – or we get one from your smart meter – just before your bill is due
2. We review your Direct Debit to see if your payments are on track to cover your energy use for the year
3. We send out your bill – it will tell you if your monthly payments need to go up, down or stay the same to keep you on track

Just had an estimated bill?
If you send us a reading just after you've had an estimated bill, we'll cancel it and send you a new bill based on your meter reading.
Your payment amount won't change again until after your next Direct Debit review – and only if we need to get your payments back on track.

Other times your might get a bill

We might send you an extra bill in the following circumstances:

1. Your monthly payments have changed after a tariff change
2. You're on a variable tariff, and your monthly payments have changed after energy regulator Ofgem changed its price cap
3. Your monthly payments have changed after you gave us a meter reading; this was your first reading in quite a while, and our previous estimated readings haven't been accurate
4. You gave your first meter reading in quite a while (your most recent bill/s were estimated); we'll send you a new bill to tell you if your monthly payments need to go up, down or stay the same to keep you on track

Please log in to our help centre

You'll find answers for your type of account in our help centre for account numbers that start with 'A'. 

You just need to log in or sign up to MyAccount first – this is where you'll find your help centre.

Go to help centre

How many bills do I get – and when do I get them

You usually get two bills a year when you pay by Budget Direct Debit. You get them just after your Direct Debit reviews.

Here's how it works:

1. We ask you for a meter reading – or we get one from your smart meter – just before your bill is due
2. We review your Direct Debit to see if your payments are on track to cover your energy use for the year
3. We send out your bill – it will tell you if your monthly payments need to go up, down or stay the same to keep you on track

Just had an estimated bill?
If you send us a reading just after you've had an estimated bill, we'll cancel it and send you a new bill based on your meter reading.
Your payment amount won't change again until after your next Direct Debit review – and only if we need to get your payments back on track.

Other times your might get a bill

We might send you an extra bill in the following circumstances:

1. Your monthly payments have changed after a tariff change
2. You're on a variable tariff, and your monthly payments have changed after energy regulator Ofgem changed its price cap
3. Your monthly payments have changed after you gave us a meter reading; this was your first reading in quite a while, and our previous estimated readings haven't been accurate
4. You gave your first meter reading in quite a while (your most recent bill/s were estimated); we'll send you a new bill to tell you if your monthly payments need to go up, down or stay the same to keep you on track