?? £497 in credit with our energy company ??

[LindorDoubleChoc]

Just done the meter readings and this is what we were told. We don't have a Smart meter so it's a monthly surprise.

How is it possible?

Like everyone else, our gas and elec bills have doubled this winter. We have been a lot more careful about having the central heating on, but not kept it totally off in the real cold snaps. I would say we have had some heating on most days since October.

I am a lot more vigilant about lights being left on and some of us are showering every other day instead of every day.

But still ... very confused. Has our energy supplier been over-estimating our usage all along for years?

Are you with British Gas? If so they default bill every six months. That means that your payments each month sit there looking like a credit but actually you’ve used that energy, you just haven’t been billed yet

We are wicked high users.
We have a disabled person here who needs specialist equipment which runs on electricity. (The hot tub was mainly for his benefit to keep joints moving but we've had to forego that for more Mum-led physio.)
The hot water is on electric (it would cost £k's to change and take years to recoup).
And we're a 5 adult household so lots of devices and separate TVs etc.
And, of course, because any grants etc (which might help with changing the hot water supply) are based on household income we can rule that out.
Over half my wages goes on our energy bill. So there's worse off than us, many of them. Whilst I watch the outgoings carefully, we won't have to choose whether to eat or heat.