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Energy firm Rebel Energy goes bust, leaving 80,000 customers without a supplier

Rebel energy goes bust.
Rebel energy goes bust. Picture: Alamy

By Alice Padgett

Rebel Energy has announced it's going bust, as energy bills hike in "Awful April" across the UK

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The energy firm's 80,000 customers can expect to be contacted by a new supplier in the coming days.

Households shouldn't see a disruption to their energy supply as they are protected by Ofgem.

Tim Jarvis, director general for markets at Ofgem, told customers they had no need to panic.

He said: "Rebel Energy customers do not need to worry, and I want to reassure them that they will not see any disruption to their energy supply, and any credit they may have on their accounts remains protected under Ofgem's rules.

"We are working quickly to appoint new suppliers for all impacted customers. We'd advise customers not to try to switch supplier in the meantime, and a new supplier will be in touch in the coming weeks with further information."

Rebel energy goes bust.
Rebel energy goes bust. Picture: Alamy

Read More: 'Awful April' price hikes: Full list of bills going up as fuming Brits brand increases 'horrendous' and 'unfair'

This comes as energy bills are expected to rise to £1849 annually.

Energy regulator Ofgem has increased the price cap for the third time - resulting in a £9.25 hike per month.

Fixed-rate deals will see no change until their term expires.

Standing charges, which are daily fixed charges for gas and electricity connections varying by region, are dropping for electricity but rising for gas.

"If you find a fix for up to 3% more than the current (Jan to Mar) or 3% less than the new (Apr to Jun) price cap, it's predicted you'll save over the year compared with staying on the price cap," Martin Lewis, consumer expert, told Sky News.

Emily Seymour, Which? energy editor, told the broadcaster: "There's no 'one size fits all' approach when it comes to fixing an energy deal as it will all depend on your individual circumstances.

An old woman holding energy bills
An old woman holding energy bills. Picture: Alamy

"For example, if you have an electric vehicle, you might want to look for a tariff which offers cheaper electricity overnight to charge your car.

"As a rule of thumb, we'd recommend looking for deals close to the current price cap, not longer than 12 months and without significant exit fees."

If you are eligible, the warm home discount will automatically provide £150 of annual energy bill reduction from the government.