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Original poster

Electricity prices. £5 per day?

32 replies

TheChip · 08/10/2021 07:39

Is there something possibly wrong with my electric metre, or have the prices went ridiculous?

I am doing nothing different to what I usually do, but Ive noticed that it's going down pretty much £5 per day. £5 could be pushed up to 3 days just a month or so ago. So it's a huge difference.

So I'm just wondering if the price increase sounds about right? I'm with British gas

OP posts:
Effinell · 08/10/2021 07:42

I'm with a different supplier and prices went up on October 1st. I don't know if that's across all suppliers though. It's going to ge a long winter Sad

modgepodge · 08/10/2021 07:53

It’s on the news that prices are going up a lot so this seems likely. Plus it’s darker and colder than a month ago, so more likely to have lights on and heating (if that’s on electric).

Do you have to be on a prepaid meter? It’s a very expensive way of paying for electricity.

GetDrunkWithMe · 08/10/2021 07:56

I'm on a pre payment meter so it's more expensive than a DD. I'm using around £1.70 a day for electric... what are you using electric on? Tumble dryer? I don't see how you could be spending £5 a day.

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Original poster
TheChip · 08/10/2021 07:57

Oh jeez. Its a big bloody increase then, isn't it?
I dont need to be on one, no. It was in when I moved in and I thought it was great. I felt more in control knowing exactly what I was spending etc.
The amount I've been spending has seemed reasonable up until now. I think maybe a change is in order.

OP posts:
Original poster
TheChip · 08/10/2021 08:02

@GetDrunkWithMe

I'm on a pre payment meter so it's more expensive than a DD. I'm using around £1.70 a day for electric... what are you using electric on? Tumble dryer? I don't see how you could be spending £5 a day.
Yesterday I only used my washer and dryer once. I have used the washer and dryer a few times a day previously and still never managed to use £5 in a day. So it still makes no sense. I dont need to use the washer or dryer today, so I'll have another check in the morning to see how much has gone. Its quite disturbing if the price increase has increased this dramatically though
OP posts:
modgepodge · 08/10/2021 08:03

@TheChip

Oh jeez. Its a big bloody increase then, isn't it? I dont need to be on one, no. It was in when I moved in and I thought it was great. I felt more in control knowing exactly what I was spending etc. The amount I've been spending has seemed reasonable up until now. I think maybe a change is in order.
You are in more control as you’re aware, but the price per unit is more. So if you switch to a non ore payment but continue your current usage you should save money.

I moved in somewhere in a February when it was snowing and we burnt through £20 in less than 3 days just on gas. I switched to a DD sharpish!!

Notcontent · 08/10/2021 08:06

Do you use electricity for heating?

But yes, wholesale electricity and gas prices have skyrocketed recently - lots of reasons for that, including increased global demand for gas (in contrast to 2020, when demand was down because of the pandemic).

Original poster
TheChip · 08/10/2021 08:28

Thank you. I'll definitely look into changing from the metres, because worrying its going to run out so fast is stressful.

As for heating, I have a combi boiler. I dont think it will use much electric. I've not had any issues with the gas prices. That seems to be going down really slow considering I've started using it more.
Put it this way, I put £30 on both gas and electric a week ago. I've had to top up the electric again, and the gas is just under £20.

OP posts:
choosername1234 · 08/10/2021 08:50

Definitely use the eco setting on your washing machine. I was doubtful at first because the cycle is much longer (x4) but it uses less than half the electricity
Sorry, not what you asked I know Smile

AFuturisticalSound · 08/10/2021 08:56

I'd advice keeping up with the news to be prepared for future rises. We've known for months that there would be a big rise on 1 October and now that it will be huge again next year. You can't so anything about the price but you plan for it

Martin Lewis is a great source on information, he's been all over the media warning about this from before the summer

AFuturisticalSound · 08/10/2021 09:01

The 9am news has just come on the radio and the top story is about huge price rises in energy costs coming next year, it's a massive issue

canigooutyet · 08/10/2021 09:08

Change your supplier. When I last switched, I would have been paying over £600 a year more just for electric had I gone with British Gas.

AFuturisticalSound · 08/10/2021 09:13

@canigooutyet

Change your supplier. When I last switched, I would have been paying over £600 a year more just for electric had I gone with British Gas.
That's not the current advice, there are no rates cheaper than the cap at the moment. If you can find one there are millions of people who'd like to know where it is, the energy market is in a unique situation, the past cheap deals are long gone
MrsPear · 08/10/2021 09:48

If you change meters get smart ones put in. You can log on and it shows usage then you can save towards each quarterly bill. Plus you only pay what you use. Don’t accept a monthly dd - it’s a guess amount and you ending up paying far more.

My price per kw has gone up by 4p since October the first which is a lot when added up and being rented I can’t fix / landlord serves notice I have to leave and pay British Gas to end contract. Not worth it.

starfish4 · 08/10/2021 10:43

Do you get a statement? If so, look closely and hopefully it'll tell you want your average daily usage is (obviously this will vary, summer we use around 5kw daily, winter 7kw daily) - if there's no reason for it to be more than usual, times that by your new kw rate, plus add daily standing charge if there's one? If it's nowhere near £5 then I'd contact British Gas. Also, if you've got statements it might tell you what they anticipate you're going to pay over the next year - ours does and it's less than £1.50 a day (although I realise larger families/those with electric heating will pay considerably more).

JasonMomoasgirlfriend · 08/10/2021 10:45

Yes you need to stick with a variable tarriff as these are cheaper than the fixed rates (by a country mile)

starfish4 · 08/10/2021 10:58

I think it'll cost you to change meters, but I suspect it'll be worth it. I'm now giving monthly readings to our supplier (as they're one of the companies who are at risk), and last month our electricity was £34 (2-3 people living in house different days, DH working from home with computer, ipad and two mobile phones for work, all on regularly).

emmathedilemma · 08/10/2021 11:10

I have a smart meter and it's definitely gone up in the last few weeks. I'm regularly hitting over £1 a day which I didn't do previously. I can tell by the days I go out to work (so there's been no washing machine, dishwasher etc) that it's higher when i come home in an evening. £5 sounds a lot though.
If you're on a pre-payment meter it's always going to be a much higher rate.

Original poster
TheChip · 08/10/2021 18:08

Unbelievable if its going to increase again next year.

Thank you all. I think I'm just going to see how it goes over the next couple of months, and look into other options in the meantime. So far, the smart metres seem like a fairly decent option.

OP posts:
DrWhoNowww · 08/10/2021 18:44

It does seem like a lot even with the increases.

Have you got a smart meter? Can you turn everything off and see if there’s still consumption? Then start turning things back on and see if there’s a huge jump?

Prices have gone up but it’s worth ruling out that an appliance isn’t causing an unnecessary drain.

Sausagis · 08/10/2021 18:56

Fridges and freezers can malfunction and use a lot of electric.

Original poster
TheChip · 08/10/2021 18:59

I've been keeping check on it today incase I read it wrong beforehand or something, as I also find it a very large jump. I dont have a smart meter.

It was £20.77 when I woke up this morning. It's now £19.32. Today's usage has been two tvs. Two ps4s. 40 minutes of the oven and 15 minutes of an air fryer and then obviously the normal everyday things such as fridge etc.

It will be interesting to see the difference in the morning, and there should be a difference since two kids are away. There is only me and ds tonight. But so far, it seems quite reasonable today.

If it remains reasonable by the morning, I will use the washer and dryer again tomorrow and see if that is what is causing the spike. Though it didn't cause such a dramatic spike before.

OP posts:
nimbuscloud · 08/10/2021 19:01

Look at a bill
See what the price per unit is
Compare that to the unit price 12 months ago

Kitkat151 · 08/10/2021 19:07

We are just back from a weeks Caravan holiday..I am 5 loads in ( 4 adults) ...And 3 hour long tumbles done...,still got 2 loads to do plus the drying ( I have 2 maidens full and all radiators got socks/knickers on) .... by the time I have finished tomorrow....it will have cost a fortune🙄

DeathMetalMum · 08/10/2021 19:16

Ours has been £5 a day recently. I already use the eco setting on the washing machine and hang out the laundry as much as possible. It was a day we were all in the house pretty much all day and we cooked a roast dinner, did washing, used the dryer and made soup for lunch but it all racked up. I did notice we had one or two things on standby I could switch off so I have done that and this week we have spent most of the time out of the house. It's been closer to £2/3 a day this week.