Trevor
They could well be right,.if you’re using over 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity a month.
https://www.gov.uk/vat-charities/what-qualifies-for-relief says:
‘Charities pay VAT on all standard-rated goods and services they buy from VAT-registered businesses.
They pay VAT at a reduced rate (5%) or the ‘zero rate’ on some goods and services.
What qualifies for the reduced rate?
Your charity pays 5% VAT on fuel and power if they’re for:
+ residential accommodation (for example, a children’s home or care home for the elderly)
+ charitable non-business activities (for example, free daycare for disabled people)
+ small-scale use (up to 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity a month or a delivery of 2,300 litres of gas oil)
If less than 60% of the fuel and power is for something that qualifies, you’ll pay the reduced rate of VAT on the qualifying part and the standard rate (20%) on the rest.’
On the other hand, you’re right that you are exempt from the CCL if you are a charity.
https://www.businessenergydeals.co.uk/blog/climate-change-levy/#:~:text=directly%20to%20HMRC.-,Exemptions%20for%20the%20Climate%20Change%20Levy,charities.
says:
‘Three main exemptions exist from paying the Climate Change Levy on commercial gas and business electricity prices: domestic customers; small businesses; and. charities’
Nick Stiven
clerk@stjohnswilton.org.uk