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How Homebox and British Gas Handle Bills and Rebel Refunds

This article explains how billing and payments are being handled where British Gas has taken over supply and how final bills and refunds from the previous supplier (Rebel) are being managed.

Summary

  • Payments for ongoing supply are being sent monthly to British Gas once accounts are set up.
  • Payments may be held in a Homebox virtual bank account until British Gas account setup and Direct Debit linkage are complete.
  • If you receive a British Gas bill, upload it to your Homebox portal so payments can be applied correctly.
  • Rebel final-bill credits are being applied to British Gas bills and refunded by British Gas; do not pay third-party debt collectors if contacted in error.

How ongoing payments are handled

  • Payments covering usage since British Gas became your supplier are being pushed out monthly to British Gas once the customer’s British Gas account is established.
  • While British Gas completes account setup, Homebox holds customer payments securely in a Homebox virtual bank account ready to transfer when the British Gas account number is available.
  • Homebox is working with British Gas to:
    • Bulk-set up Direct Debits from the Homebox virtual bank account
    • Complete creation of online British Gas accounts so services can be managed fully

Direct Debit and account setup

  • British Gas must return an account number and complete its account-creation steps before Direct Debits can be applied to an individual British Gas account.
  • Homebox continues to press British Gas to complete these remaining steps and will transfer held payments once the account number is returned.

What to do if you receive a British Gas bill before setup is complete

  • Upload any British Gas bill you receive to your Homebox portal. This allows Homebox to ensure payment is applied correctly while Direct Debit and account setup are finalised.

Rebel final bills, credit balances, and refunds

  • Where a Rebel Energy credit balance exists, British Gas is applying those credits to customer accounts and will automatically issue refunds.
  • British Gas will contact customers directly once a credit has been applied.

Rebel final bills, debit balances, and seasonal billing

  • Final bills from Rebel may show a debit for some customers due to seasonal usage patterns (higher usage in winter can create debt, with summer payments reducing balances).
  • British Gas uses the same annual averaging method since taking over supply, so account balances can move between debit and credit across seasons.
  • Once all final bills are completed, Homebox will work with customers to arrange any necessary payment plans or adjustments.

If you are contacted by a debt collection agency claiming Rebel debts

  • Do not make any payment to the debt-collection agency.
  • Contact Homebox support immediately so they can speak with the collection agency and ensure you are removed from their contact list.
  • Communications from collection agencies in some cases have happened in error when customers were not correctly associated with the Homebox portfolio.

Timing for final bills after account closure

  • After an account ends or is closed, suppliers are notified and it usually takes around 8 to 10 weeks to receive your final bill.

Where to find updates and independent help

  • Ongoing updates are published at the Homebox help site: help.homebox.co.uk
  • Independent support resources:
    • Ofgem: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/about-us/contact-us
    • Citizens Advice: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/

Troubleshooting and next steps

  • If you receive a British Gas bill while account setup is incomplete: upload it to your Homebox portal immediately.
  • If you receive communication from a debt collector about Rebel: do not pay and contact Homebox support so they can resolve the error.
  • If you have questions about refunds from Rebel credits applied by British Gas, British Gas will contact you once the credit is applied.

Conclusion Payments for British Gas supply are being processed once accounts are set up; until then, payments are held in a Homebox virtual bank account. Upload any British Gas bills to your Homebox portal to ensure correct handling. Rebel credit balances are being applied and refunded by British Gas; if you are contacted by a debt collector in error, do not pay and contact support so the matter can be resolved. For ongoing status updates, consult help.homebox.co.uk or the independent resources listed above.