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Original poster

Can someone please explain my EDF bill?

28 replies

VintageThoughts · 17/02/2023 09:22

Just received my bill from EDF and can't understand it at all.

I was in credit for 1242. My charges are 822.08.

But they've also charged me £333 'refunds' which are the 5 payments I've received from the government for COL.

My credit is now £86.92 so they've definitely deducted them.

Am I being really stupid here? I thought they were government assistance that we didn't have to pay back?

OP posts:
yetanothercleverusername · 17/02/2023 09:40

You are right, the COL payments definitely do not need to be paid back, sounds like they have cocked something up.

Original poster
VintageThoughts · 17/02/2023 10:11

Thank you, that's what I thought.

Trying to get through to them is a nightmare too - I just can't understand why they've deducted all the government payments from my credit.

I'll try to contact them online.

OP posts:
pigsinoodies · 17/02/2023 10:25

VintageThoughts · 17/02/2023 10:11

Thank you, that's what I thought.

Trying to get through to them is a nightmare too - I just can't understand why they've deducted all the government payments from my credit.

I'll try to contact them online.

I don't suppose they've refunded into your bank have they?

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Cost of living
fourquenelles · 17/02/2023 10:34

I have the same issue. In the last 6 months I paid £550 in direct debits, used £530 worth of energy but with the government refund they say I owe £230 (figures rounded up). Am waiting for a WhatsApp conversation about this with them but they are very busy at the moment (unsurprisingly!)

Original poster
VintageThoughts · 17/02/2023 10:41

@pigsinoodies

Yes, they have paid the money into my bank, but they haven't also credited my EDF account IYSWIM?

All the credit that I was in was due to my monthly direct debits. The government money never made it into the EDF account as a credit - it went directly to my bank.

OP posts:
rosie1959 · 17/02/2023 10:42

Did take me a minute to work out what was going on with my bill I am with British Gas the government payments appear as a debit and a credit on my bill which contra each other out. But I received the monthly credit into my bank direct.

pigsinoodies · 17/02/2023 10:42

I thought so:

"An automatic refund payment will be made within five working days of your normal payment date. This will be paid into the bank account your Direct Debit payments are taken from."

www.edfenergy.com/for-home/energy-bills-support-scheme#:~:text=An%20automatic%20refund%20payment%20will,debit%20amount%20will%20not%20change.

It doesn't quite explain why the amount you owe's gone up but I assume it's something to do with how they're displaying the information on the bill.

Original poster
VintageThoughts · 17/02/2023 10:42

@fourquenelles

Yes I'm waiting for that too. Not holding my breath!!

It seems they've done the exact same thing to you. It's really odd.

OP posts:
pigsinoodies · 17/02/2023 10:45

VintageThoughts · 17/02/2023 10:41

@pigsinoodies

Yes, they have paid the money into my bank, but they haven't also credited my EDF account IYSWIM?

All the credit that I was in was due to my monthly direct debits. The government money never made it into the EDF account as a credit - it went directly to my bank.

I'm guessing they've applied the credit within their calculations and then credited it to you as if you've overpaid your DD as well. Obviously ridiculous but there you go.

AuntieDolly · 17/02/2023 10:59

Took me ages to work out what they'd done too. They reduce the billed amount by the government grant amount.

CherieBabySpliffUp · 17/02/2023 11:03

Our bill was as clear as mud but the end figure was correct.
I'm assuming you know what your standing charge and unit rate is? In which case you can do the calculation yourself of how much electricity you have used etc to double check if their total is correct.

Ginmonkeyagain · 17/02/2023 11:14

I'm wth EDF - they do the government help in a really mad way - so if you pay via DD they credit it to your energy account and then debit it back out again to your bank account.

So it shows up as a minus on your bill but you don't owe them that money it is just recording that the money left your energy account - in to your bank account. I think they should have left it in people's energy accounts as that is what the money was for. However I suspect they anticipated complaints about them holding on to money.

Most energy companies have old and crazy billing systems so could not cope very well with the government payment.

bigbluebus · 17/02/2023 11:24

I'm with EDF. The £67 shows as going into and out of my energy account each month. The £67 then appears in my Bank Account. Still waiting for my £200 alternative fuel payment though!

Tummytroubles22 · 17/02/2023 11:27

How strange. I’m with EDF and they reduced my DD each month by the government amount.

Original poster
VintageThoughts · 17/02/2023 12:28

I just can't make it add up.

The credit is the exact amount I've paid in direct debits.

The charges is the exact amount on my smart meter for that time period.

So why have they also deducted the government payments from my credit?

The bill itself might as well be written in Chinese for the amount of sense it makes to me!

OP posts:
Ginmonkeyagain · 17/02/2023 12:31

Because they credited the payments to your energy account and then removed them and paid them in to your bank account.

I have no idea why they made it so complicated.

pigsinoodies · 17/02/2023 12:35

VintageThoughts · 17/02/2023 12:28

I just can't make it add up.

The credit is the exact amount I've paid in direct debits.

The charges is the exact amount on my smart meter for that time period.

So why have they also deducted the government payments from my credit?

The bill itself might as well be written in Chinese for the amount of sense it makes to me!

Presumably if you work your charges out yourself based on your kWH usage and Standing Charge the total will come to 822.08 + 333.

fourquenelles · 19/02/2023 15:01

The explanation I got was that I had used (made up figures) £890 of energy in the six month period and had paid £550 in direct debits therefore I was in debt by £340. The bill showed NOT £890 but £890 minus the £400 grant so I thought I had used £490 worth of energy and was in credit. They really should have explained that more clearly in the bill.

SpecialK2023 · 19/02/2023 15:06

bigbluebus · 17/02/2023 11:24

I'm with EDF. The £67 shows as going into and out of my energy account each month. The £67 then appears in my Bank Account. Still waiting for my £200 alternative fuel payment though!

What’s the alternative fuel payment? We have oil and don’t think we’re entitled to anything,

bigbluebus · 19/02/2023 15:29

@SSpecialK2023
The Government decided to make an extra payment to people who don't use mains gas or electricity for heating as they were unable to put a price cap on oil, lpg or solid fuel. Originally this was announced as a £100 payment but then Jeremy Hunt increased it to £200 shortly after becoming chancellor. It's been a long time in discussion as they had no idea how to pay it as oil and lpg customers are not tied to a single supplier as they can shop around each time they fill their tanks. It was for this reason they came up with the idea that Electricity companies should distribute the payment. The Electricity companies have, I believe, been supplied with lists of postcodes where there is no mains gas, so if you live in one of those areas you should automatically get your £200 payment by the end of February. It is unclear (to me) what happens if you live in an area with mains gas but still use oil for heating or if you live in an area without mains gas but have electric heating (ie not an alternative fuel source).
If you live totally off grid and don't have an electricity supplier (eg you live on a boat) you still qualify but have to apply for the payment from 27th February. Hope that makes sense.

SpecialK2023 · 19/02/2023 15:34

bigbluebus · 19/02/2023 15:29

@SSpecialK2023
The Government decided to make an extra payment to people who don't use mains gas or electricity for heating as they were unable to put a price cap on oil, lpg or solid fuel. Originally this was announced as a £100 payment but then Jeremy Hunt increased it to £200 shortly after becoming chancellor. It's been a long time in discussion as they had no idea how to pay it as oil and lpg customers are not tied to a single supplier as they can shop around each time they fill their tanks. It was for this reason they came up with the idea that Electricity companies should distribute the payment. The Electricity companies have, I believe, been supplied with lists of postcodes where there is no mains gas, so if you live in one of those areas you should automatically get your £200 payment by the end of February. It is unclear (to me) what happens if you live in an area with mains gas but still use oil for heating or if you live in an area without mains gas but have electric heating (ie not an alternative fuel source).
If you live totally off grid and don't have an electricity supplier (eg you live on a boat) you still qualify but have to apply for the payment from 27th February. Hope that makes sense.

Thank you - I don’t have any gas and never have so should be captured. Great news!

NotDavidTennant · 19/02/2023 15:40

The way EDF has done this is confusing.

The government credit has been subtracted off the charges part of the bill.

So on my last bill the charges for the period are £418 but looking below at the breakdown I actually used over £700 worth of energy. The difference is the government credit.

Badbudgeter · 19/02/2023 15:46

Tummytroubles22 · 17/02/2023 11:27

How strange. I’m with EDF and they reduced my DD each month by the government amount.

Do you pay for what you actually use? They have different rules for people that do. I’m a budget Dd customer so get £67 a week after I pay my extortionate bill.

SeatonCarew · 19/02/2023 16:17

rosie1959 · 17/02/2023 10:42

Did take me a minute to work out what was going on with my bill I am with British Gas the government payments appear as a debit and a credit on my bill which contra each other out. But I received the monthly credit into my bank direct.

This is what EDF do too OP. As long as it's hit you bank it's ok.

bigbluebus · 20/02/2023 09:13

Badbudgeter · 19/02/2023 15:46

Do you pay for what you actually use? They have different rules for people that do. I’m a budget Dd customer so get £67 a week after I pay my extortionate bill.

Show quote history

@Badbudgeter I pay the same amount by DD each month and I'm only billed twice a year in January and July.