FIT payments stopped
Your Feed-in Tariff payments have stopped arriving, reduced without explanation, or never restarted after a supplier change. FIT payments are worth significantly more than SEG — losing them even temporarily costs real money.
The cause is usually one of four things: a licensee transfer you were not told about, overdue meter readings, a bank detail error, or an account migration issue after a supplier exit. Work through the steps below to find and fix yours.
We can identify your current FIT licensee, check your registration status, confirm your meter reading requirements, and tell you exactly what needs to happen to restart payments.
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Why your FIT payments have stopped
There are five main reasons FIT payments stop. Most can be resolved by contacting your licensee or Ofgem.
When energy suppliers merge, get acquired, or exit the market, FIT registrations are transferred to a new licensee. This happens more often than most people realise — several suppliers have left the market since 2018. The new licensee should contact you, but this frequently does not happen. Your payments stop because the new company does not have your bank details or meter readings.
FIT payments require regular generation meter readings — typically every quarter or annually, depending on your licensee. If you have not submitted readings, the licensee cannot calculate what you are owed and payments will stop. Your generation meter is the small meter near your inverter (not your main electricity meter). Some licensees accept readings online, by app, or by phone.
If your bank account has changed, been closed, or the sort code has been updated, FIT payments will bounce and stop. Check that the bank details on file with your licensee are current. If you have switched bank accounts, you need to notify your FIT licensee separately — this is not automatic.
FIT contracts run for 20 or 25 years from the commissioning date. Once the term expires, generation and export payments stop permanently. Check your original FIT confirmation letter for the start date and calculate when the term ends. After FIT expires, you can register for the Smart Export Guarantee to continue receiving export payments — though at lower rates.
When a FIT licensee takes on registrations from another company, the migration process sometimes introduces errors — incorrect meter serial numbers, wrong tariff rates, missing bank details, or duplicated accounts. These errors can cause payments to stop or be calculated incorrectly. Contact your licensee and ask them to audit your account against the Ofgem Central FIT Register.
If you bought a property with a FIT-registered solar system, the FIT does not automatically transfer to your name. The previous owner's payments stop when they leave, and you need to request a transfer from the FIT licensee. This is one of the most valuable assets of a property with solar — do not let it lapse. See our check export payments guide for the transfer process.
Step-by-step: get your FIT payments restarted
Work through these checks in order. Most people find the cause at step 1 or 2.
Check your most recent FIT payment statement — the paying company is your licensee. If you cannot find one, or if the company no longer exists, contact Ofgem on 020 7901 7310 and ask them to look up your installation on the Central FIT Register. Give them your address and postcode. They can tell you which company currently holds your registration.
Common transfers: Iresa customers moved to Octopus Energy, Economy Energy customers moved to EDF, Brilliant Energy customers moved to SSE, and Spark Energy customers moved to OVO. If your original supplier is no longer trading, there is a good chance your registration has been transferred without you being notified.
Find your generation meter — it is a small meter (usually white, wall-mounted) near your inverter or consumer unit. It is separate from your main electricity meter. Read the total kWh figure on the display and submit it to your FIT licensee. Most licensees accept readings online, by phone, or by email.
If you have not submitted readings for a long time, submit the current reading and explain the gap. Your licensee should estimate the generation for the missing period based on your system size and historical data. You are entitled to payments for the entire period — do not accept a licensee refusing to back-pay because readings were late.
Contact your FIT licensee and confirm that the bank account details on file are correct and current. If you have changed bank accounts, sort codes, or if your bank has been acquired by another institution, the details may be out of date. Update them and ask the licensee to reprocess any bounced payments.
Some licensees pay by cheque rather than bank transfer. If you have not received a cheque, check your address details are correct — cheques sent to a previous address will not arrive.
Find your original FIT confirmation letter or certificate. Check the commissioning date and calculate the end of your contract: systems registered before 1 August 2012 have a 25-year term; systems registered after that date have a 20-year term. If your term has ended, FIT payments stop permanently.
If your FIT has expired, you can register for the Smart Export Guarantee to continue receiving export payments. SEG rates are lower than FIT, but you still need an active export tariff or you earn nothing for exports. See our SEG registration guide if you need help signing up.
If your FIT licensee cannot explain the issue, is not responding, or is refusing to make back-payments, escalate in writing to their formal complaints team. Send an email (for a written record) explaining the problem, the dates payments stopped, and what you have already tried.
If they do not resolve it within 8 weeks, you can take the case to the Energy Ombudsman (free service). You can also contact Ofgem directly — they regulate the FIT scheme and can investigate licensees that are not meeting their payment obligations. Ofgem's FIT team can be reached on 020 7901 7310.
Understanding your FIT payments
The Feed-in Tariff has two separate payment components. Understanding which one has stopped helps you diagnose the problem faster.
Paid for every kWh your system generates — whether you use it yourself or export it. Based on your generation meter reading.
Paid for electricity exported to the grid. Typically deemed at 50% of generation (unless you have an export meter), regardless of actual export.
Combined generation and export payments for a typical domestic system. Exact amount depends on your tariff band and generation.
FIT vs SEG — what happens when FIT ends?
If your FIT contract has genuinely expired, the Smart Export Guarantee is your next option — but understand the difference before you switch.
Pays for both generation and export
Generation tariff: 15–50p/kWh (locked in at registration)
Index-linked to RPI (increases annually)
Closed to new applicants since March 2019
20 or 25-year contract term
Pays for export only (not generation)
Export tariff: 3–15p/kWh (varies by supplier)
Not index-linked (rates can change)
Open to anyone with MCS-certified solar
No fixed term — can switch any time
If your FIT has not expired, do everything you can to maintain it. FIT is significantly more valuable than SEG. Never voluntarily leave FIT — if a supplier tells you to cancel your FIT and switch to SEG, get independent advice first. See our Smart Export Guarantee guide for a full comparison and current SEG rates.
Frequently asked questions
The most common reasons: your FIT licensee has changed (often after a supplier merger or exit), you have not submitted generation meter readings, your bank details are incorrect, your FIT contract has expired, or there is an account migration error. Contact your licensee first — or Ofgem on 020 7901 7310 if you are not sure who your licensee is.
Check your most recent FIT payment statement — the company name on the payment is your licensee. If you cannot find a statement or the company no longer exists, contact Ofgem on 020 7901 7310. They maintain the Central FIT Register and can look up your installation by address and postcode to tell you which company currently holds your registration. This service is free.
Switching your electricity import supplier does not automatically affect your FIT payments — the FIT contract is separate. However, if your FIT licensee (the company that pays your FIT) has exited the market or been acquired, your registration may have been transferred to a new company without your knowledge. Contact Ofgem to confirm who your current FIT licensee is if you are unsure.
FIT contracts run for 20 years (systems registered after 1 August 2012) or 25 years (systems registered before that date), from the original commissioning date. Once the term expires, both generation and export payments stop permanently. You can then register for the Smart Export Guarantee to continue receiving export payments at lower rates. The transition is not automatic — you must actively sign up for SEG.
Yes, in most cases. FIT licensees are legally obligated to pay for all periods covered by your contract, provided you submit meter readings. If payments were missed due to a licensee error, transfer, or administrative issue, you are entitled to back-payments. Submit your current generation meter reading along with readings for the missed period if you have them. If the licensee refuses, escalate to the Energy Ombudsman — back-payment disputes are common and the ombudsman regularly rules in the customer's favour.
The FIT can be transferred to the new homeowner — and it should be, because it is a significant financial asset. The buyer needs to contact the FIT licensee and request a transfer of the registration. They will need proof of purchase and the FIT installation reference. The tariff rate and remaining term transfer with the property. If the transfer is not completed, payments stop until the new owner registers. See our check export payments guide for the full transfer process.
Still not receiving your FIT payments?
A remote review identifies your current FIT licensee, checks your registration on the Central FIT Register, verifies your tariff rates are correct and index-linked, and produces a written action plan for getting payments restarted. We handle FIT payment issues regularly and know the escalation routes.