Email from octopus energy

[thebigpurpleone]

Suggesting increase monthly direct debit to £180!!!! This is nearly double. My god I just feel like the cost of living is crazy.

Our doubled before Christmas to £160.

We have only just started putting our heating up to around 18 degrees -lowered to 15 at night-and are wearing extra layers.
It’s going to be a struggle for a lot of people.

Honestly what can we do? I'm just going back to work after maternity leave and already we have had to budget for crazy childcare prices and now this.

Is that gas and electric or just electric?

@thebigpurpleone

Honestly what can we do? I'm just going back to work after maternity leave and already we have had to budget for crazy childcare prices and now this.

Is that your normal direct debit or what they would charge to take out a new fixed deal?

Or is your current monthly amount not covering your usage? Do you have a debit balance?

Is it electric and gas prices that are affected or just gas?

We have oil rather than gas and I think our electric must be fixed but I think we’re in for a shock when the fixed period comes to an end.

We have to hope that the government listens to campaigners like Martin Lewis who are currently pleading for them to step in and do something to regulate prices, because it's going to cause real hardship.

We're lucky that we can afford higher bills, but we've already seen a healthy £200 credit on our account disappear in the few weeks since we were switched from Avro.

The current situation is that prices have doubled in a year. About this time last year, you could fix at under £100 a month for typical usage, ie what the price cap is based on.

The price cap, which is now the cheapest tariff as most of the cheap suppliers have now gone bust as they didn't have the hedging and reserves to continue to supply energy below cost will rise in April to around £1900 pa and it is this that has caused your DD to increase.

Octopus have just put mine up from £140pm to £200
Given that some companies are going under I don't want to switch though

Remember they can suggest it but you can put it to anything really. They wanted me to put my dd to £230 after my fixed term, I didn't still pay the same just now and went to variable rate.

it's both gas and electric prices that ard high atm (and unlikely to return to much lower prices anytime soon.

you, and everyone else really, need to look at ways to reduce fuel consumption. timers on showers, insulating homes, use washing machine in eco setting mainly etc.

No our previous direct debit for both was £105 a month. If we don't accept the increase won't we just end up owing hundreds.

@BarbaraofSeville

We have to hope that the government listens to campaigners like Martin Lewis who are currently pleading for them to step in and do something to regulate prices, because it's going to cause real hardship.

We're lucky that we can afford higher bills, but we've already seen a healthy £200 credit on our account disappear in the few weeks since we were switched from Avro.

The current situation is that prices have doubled in a year. About this time last year, you could fix at under £100 a month for typical usage, ie what the price cap is based on.

The price cap, which is now the cheapest tariff as most of the cheap suppliers have now gone bust as they didn't have the hedging and reserves to continue to supply energy below cost will rise in April to around £1900 pa and it is this that has caused your DD to increase.

We probably can manage since we've been managing just on my husband's wage the last few months when I was earning 0 on maternity but yeh, hard times ahead for so many people. The cost of food is insane too.

check you bills and meter readings for the actual usage and compare that to the direct debit amount.
details should be on the invoice.

Octopus are still (unfortunately) one of the cheapest suppliers out there so not worth switching. I've just cut down a lot on my gas heating usage (reduced it by 3 hours a day from 7 hours to 4 hours). Not much I can do on electric, which has doubled in price, as I can't see anything I can cut back on there.

God it's just sooooo depressing seeing how much bills cost everh month plus £1000 for nursery

Do you believe that cost reflects your current usage? And are you on their cheapest deal? Our octopus is no penalty for changing tarrifs so check out you are not on an expensive fix.

@MaizeAmaze

Do you believe that cost reflects your current usage? And are you on their cheapest deal? Our octopus is no penalty for changing tarrifs so check out you are not on an expensive fix.

Well it seems the cost is due to the insane rise of energy prices isn't it, as many others are in the same boat. I will check the tariff though.

Ours has went up exactly the same amount. We are on a low income. It’s crap

@Pinkandpink

Ours has went up exactly the same amount. We are on a low income. It’s crap

I was switched across to Octopus from Avro and was a bit worried that my DD for dual fuel would sky rocket but unbelievably (I had some credit transferred over) it has stayed the same at £45 per month! We do have a newish house which is energy efficient and try to be as efficient with how we use our energy (we've never ever had heating on overnight, didn't realise this was a thing until I read others have it on, showers over baths, draught excluders, closed doors etc). I know I am so far one of the fortunate ones.

I have had exactly the same e mail from them. I've increased my direct debit to what I can realistically afford and I'm trying to cut back on my energy use. Not sure what else I can do tbh.

@sHREDDIES19

I was switched across to Octopus from Avro and was a bit worried that my DD for dual fuel would sky rocket but unbelievably (I had some credit transferred over) it has stayed the same at £45 per month! We do have a newish house which is energy efficient and try to be as efficient with how we use our energy (we've never ever had heating on overnight, didn't realise this was a thing until I read others have it on, showers over baths, draught excluders, closed doors etc). I know I am so far one of the fortunate ones.

We were also moved from Avro to Octopus and our DD has remained the same, for now.

However, the unit rate and daily standing charge has increased significantly and will increase again in April, so it will go up sooner or later.

We're currently paying £94 pm and going by the increase in the price cap rates, I'm expecting ours to more than double within the next couple of months or so.

Mine has been £160 for the last two or three years (E.ON Next, 3 bed semi). That's restricting heating to a couple of rooms most of the time. We don't heat kitchen, bathroom or hallways. Dishwasher, washing machine and fridge used only- no freezer or tumble-dryer. Occasional TV and a couple of computer screens/chargers. Lots of thermals and jumpers worn in our house! Blankets and throws are great when sitting for any length of time. Feeling fairly frugal with energy - but absolutely dreading removal of price cap.

We are with octopus. DD went from 148 in to December to 238 this month. Awful.

My doubled from octopus energy too

I've just gone to the variable rate as moved home & they wanted to charge me £396 a month on DD.

Have been paying £85 a month by entering monthly meter readings & paying bill by bank card.

Once I have 3 months readings I can hopefully get a decent contract based on actual usage.