Anyone else’s gas and electricity bills gone up by EVEN more than expected??

[LadyCatStark]

I know it’s only an estimate, but our combined bill was due to rise by £90 this month which is crippling for us. But our direct debit is due to go out tomorrow and it’s going to be £103 more than usual. We’ve used farrrr less than usual. We’ve been fucking freezing all month and DS begged me to put the heating on on Sunday after we got soaked on a walk because that’s the only activity we can afford anymore. A few nights ago, I was so cold in bed that I couldn’t sleep and I had to wear fleecy pjs, my Oodie, bed socks and that was with my duvet and weighted blanket. I’ve turned everything off that I can and it’s impossible, we can’t afford to live! We both have good jobs and I have 2 jobs but every last penny is eaten up with bills. I don’t want to live if this is how it’s going to be.

I’m in South Yorkshire,fed up of looking at the weather app hoping for warmer days!

I know this is not what you are asking but you need electric blankets on the beds. We are in the same position as you. I don’t use heating as can’t afford it. We even take fewer showers which is not great. But for sleeping we can heat the beds and it’s great. Also a heated throw for daytime on the sofa.

My bills seem to be ok although we have made a few changes to save energy.

We have 3 bed Victorian terraced, energy rating D/E (not sure as it's a rental).
Family of 5, one of us works from home 3 days a week (office with 3 screens). Other works from home full time anyway (catering so electric oven can be on a lot).
4 tv's get a lot of use, a dishwasher, two fridges, combi oven used for work, tumble dryer although have hardly used it the last month. Lots of electrical goods.

Bill was £148 for April
£145 for March
£113 for April last year

That's duel fuel with Ovo. Heating is off though and line drying most of the washing.
I was expecting it to be a lot higher.

It is absolutely ludicrous that a family with 3 jobs can’t afford the basic heating to be comfortable, I agree.
The only suggestion I have is a heated airer. I don’t use the tumble drier at all except in an emergency (like a vomiting bug in the house etc) and the washing routine is “don’t bring me things that need to be dried in the next couple of hours, cos it’s not happening”. Tbh I’d free up some space in the kitchen by chucking the drier out, but it still works (basic model, real workhouse of a thing, refuses to die) so I’d feel wasteful if I did.
Apologies if you already have a heated airer.

Last month gas £12, electric £60
This month gas £ 13, electric £90
With octopus. No real changes except no heating on all month. So this was better than I expected. Worth speaking to the company to check figures

I’d double check that your bill isn’t estimated. British Gas has been unbelievably crap recently. I found out that I’d been paying estimated since I moved in in November despite having smart meters as they’ve had issues with them recently. Even now if I go into the app I can’t see how much I am using and I have to go off the smart meter in the house. I booked an appointment to have them fixed and had to wait 3 months for it and then they didn’t show up twice and when I called them after waiting 10 minutes they hung up!

OP, our energy company send out a monthly statement and estimate if they don't have readings from us. Yesterday's statement estimated we'd used £125, but I've done my own calculations and it's more like £80 - that's only for two people showering most days, heating on about six times for 30 mins in morning. Trying to be careful, only having things on if we're actually using them, nothing left on charge overnight, cooker switched off earlier leaving food in to cook, lights on when too dark to read.

She'll emailed me yesterday to say my direct debit has tripled. I was taken aback and have ignored it as the mature response.
Will have a read through this thread and take some action...

we shouldn’t Have to be sitting in cold houses though it’s 2022 for gods sake,a lot more people will be Ill when winter comes round!

It was aggressive! But I would've said something too but just not so forcefully 😄

The point is, the poor OP has Raynaud's (awful, you won't experience cold day to day like the OP does), and she just came on here for a well deserved moan about what is a really crap situation. She's bang to rights that a household with 3 jobs should be this cold. It's bloody miserable and unfair. It's not the time to start lecturing her about how she should be grateful/lucky/better off than others/ etc! It's a pick your moment concept and this moment was not it. Let the OP have her moan!!

@Thestoppedfan they are hideous. We've had the same experience. Our bill has gone up to £350 a month.

Health wise, I’ve always been a ‘cold’ person but I think it might be my thyroid.

My sister has had her thyroid removed and she's always cold. If you're poorly like that and feel the cold so badly, I urge you again to look into getting an electric blanket. Dual control for if your husband wants it cooler. They're really cheap to run and you'll be lovely and warm which will help you sleep better.