Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

Gas and electricity bills to soar

783 replies

Cosmos123 · 18/09/2021 17:33

This is worrying as it will push many into fuel poverty.
Rising food prices and empty shelves.
Is anyone worried?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
14
PugInTheHouse · 23/09/2021 12:55

Thanks Horst. I have always used the comparison websites, it actually came up £40 more with British Gas on those this time than going onto their actual site.

YodaiamsaidI · 23/09/2021 12:58

I'm never going to be able to pay £200+ a month!!!!

Gas and electricity bills to soar
fairytale132 · 23/09/2021 12:59

I had a long convo with British Gas yesterday, the advisor told me that they had a teams meeting and were watching the price of gas go up and up during the meeting.
I stalled getting a fixed rate and the difference between the following day was a staggering £25 as it is going up each day. I was tempted to stay on variable but just scared for the future as it's only going one way, I shall be paying 1850 per year for a small semi, Gas has risen by 40% and it's ongoing.

BarbaraofSeville · 23/09/2021 13:10

@YodaiamsaidI

I'm never going to be able to pay £200+ a month!!!!
Why are you using such a huge amount of electricity? That's probably about three times average amount.

If you're using it for heating is there any way you can switch to gas? See if there are any grants available or if not, is it possible to borrow to make the improvements? It would probably pay for itself in no time.

ditalini · 23/09/2021 13:31

Yoda must already have gas CH or I can't see how they could use that much gas.

Yoda, you're almost using as much electricity as me in in all-electric house. Is there anything you can think of to bring your consumption down?

PugInTheHouse · 23/09/2021 13:39

I am annoyed I didn't do it as soon as it was announced but TBH we are an big-ish 3 bed, 4 of us with me full time WFH so £144 a month is not too bad. we were paying £115 a month variable rate with Bulb and apparently we should change our DD £145 going forward according to our bill.

Luckily we are mainly electric and don't often have the heating on so I think we are probably slightly below average. Our annual usage is 6955 elec and 3314 gas. Probably slightly more elec and less gas this year coming as we got an electric cooker rather than gas halfway through last year.

Nothing I can do now and got to find an extra £30 a month but at least the tariff is fixed.

NotMyCat · 23/09/2021 14:10

@Siry

Bills have gone up hugely recently.

I don’t know how I’ll cope if this continues.

Income is £1600 a month and my bills are around £1500 now. £100 left for nice things/going out at the age of 32. It’s feels so hopeless.

Same. I think mine are £1400 inc everything down to food, fuel, cat insurance etc and similar pay
Pebble21uk · 23/09/2021 15:21

@Barbaraofseville @Wingedharpy You might find that DD are still taken. I was with People's Energy and it had already sent out emails notifying of ceasing trading and I may have already been notified of being switched to BG... and my DD was still taken!
I have now cancelled it - and fortunately it is showing up in my credits with People's Energy (I'm still able to access my account online)

LakieLady · 23/09/2021 16:16

@OhYouBadBadKitten

We have a kelly kettle that produces boiling water out of twigs. They are very expensive and a bit scary to use. You wouldn't be able to use one inside. But for those it's an option for, they are very efficient.

I might bundle some twigs together for it this week.

I've got a Kelly kettle in the loft and had forgotten all about it, so thank you for mentioning it!

They are a fab invention, so simple and so efficient. Much quicker than boiling a kettle on a camping stove.

YodaiamsaidI · 23/09/2021 16:20

I can't work out where it's going,I use a halogen instead of proper oven more often than not so quicker to run.Only thing I can think of is landing light on at night and electric shower but surely not £2000 worth.

YodaiamsaidI · 23/09/2021 16:25

Plus it's only me and 2 DC in a tiny 3 up 2 down terraced house.

Againstmachine · 23/09/2021 16:52

I can't work out where it's going,I use a halogen instead of proper oven more often than not so quicker to run.Only thing I can think of is landing light on at night and electric shower but surely not £2000 worth.

You must be using something that is using a lot of money and I doubt it's the light.

It will more than likely be washing machines, tumble driers, electric showers ect and things like that that are high kw but on for long periods.

LakieLady · 23/09/2021 17:09

@speakout

RedToothBrush

Well said.

Blaming consumers is plain nasty.
Many families are squeezed to the limit right now, paying the extra £40-£50 a month to the bigger and more expensive suppliers is just not affirdable for.
Consumers have not creted this problem.
A combination of our government, other governments, our reliance on wind and gas and Brexit is to blame.

Russia is squeezing europe right now in the hope to get approval for its new nordstream gas pipeline.

Buy hey, lets blame families n a tight budget who are having to choose beween decent food and heating.
I don't blame anyone for trying to get the best deal on energy.

It is certainly not their fault this crisis has happened.

Well said, both!

£40 a month is a massive amount to some people. It's almost 10% of the standard allowance that a couple on Universal Credit get. And bear in mind that they probably have to pay some towards their rent and council tax out of that.

People whose income is so stretched can't afford to pay a penny more than they have to for stuff, so no-one should be blaming them for signing up to the cheapest possible deal. They should be blaming the government that doesn't allow people enough to live on and forces them into a corner where they end up having to make choices that save them the most, even if it does end in tears further down the line.

BarbaraofSeville · 23/09/2021 17:10

@YodaiamsaidI

I can't work out where it's going,I use a halogen instead of proper oven more often than not so quicker to run.Only thing I can think of is landing light on at night and electric shower but surely not £2000 worth.
If that was me, I'd not stop until I worked it out. I think halogen ovens are one step up from slow cookers in that they're a way to cook without using a lot of fuel.

Unless you're doing something silly like going out and leaving the shower on for hours, something is wrong.

Such as a faulty appliance, faulty wiring or one of your neighbours is stealing your electricity.

Your bill is simply far too much for the situation you describe.

Horst · 23/09/2021 17:14

My electric is stupidly high too we use at least £3.50 ish per day minimum. Can’t work out where it goes every day.

Tumble dryer I get but I’ve made sure I’ve got a washing line and inside airer now. Shower but I can’t change that it’s not mine. Electric oven but again I can’t replace that. I gave up trying to work it out.

roses2 · 23/09/2021 17:15

Avro website now back up and working. Can't access previous statements but can see credit balance.

Horst · 23/09/2021 17:15

And by stupid high I mean my usage. My price per unit is is good.

Horst · 23/09/2021 17:18

So far this year I’ve used 9,921 units of electric.

speakout · 23/09/2021 17:32

I have high usage too.
24000KW hours a year for gas, 6400 KWH a year for electricity.

earsup · 23/09/2021 17:47

@Horst

My electric is stupidly high too we use at least £3.50 ish per day minimum. Can’t work out where it goes every day.

Tumble dryer I get but I’ve made sure I’ve got a washing line and inside airer now. Shower but I can’t change that it’s not mine. Electric oven but again I can’t replace that. I gave up trying to work it out.

electric oven..probably about 3kw...it will suck the electric !!... also no need for people to panic switching etc...my friend switched a while ago and stated she was saving money....i checked the unit rates and standing charges and the same as old supplier....always check the small print.....i will get my solar panels next year now when fix with octopus expires next september.
BarbaraofSeville · 23/09/2021 18:22

We have an electric oven that's on quite a lot, electric shower, hob, security lighting and dishwasher. We use about 4000 kWh pa of electricity.

NoWordForFluffy · 23/09/2021 18:36

@BarbaraofSeville

We have an electric oven that's on quite a lot, electric shower, hob, security lighting and dishwasher. We use about 4000 kWh pa of electricity.
We're similar in that our electric oven is on a fair bit, we have a dishwasher, two freezers plus a fridge freezer, electric shower and bread maker. Our usage is about 3,800-ish. Our gas is about 13,000.

4,000 is apparently high for electric (medium usage is 2,800) and 13,000 is about medium usage (they say 12,000 for medium, 8,000 for low and 17,000 for high) for gas.

RedToothBrush · 23/09/2021 18:40

I've got a Kelly kettle in the loft and had forgotten all about it, so thank you for mentioning it!

Scouts melted ours.

DH has just told me we come off fixed rate in November.

That should be fun. Confused

RedToothBrush · 23/09/2021 18:41

Going back to a shared weekly bath is the future.

speakout · 23/09/2021 18:42

4,000 is apparently high for electric (medium usage is 2,800) and 13,000 is about medium usage (they say 12,000 for medium, 8,000 for low and 17,000 for high) for gas.

Oh my word, I had no idea my usage was so high! I need to take stock!
24,000 for gas, 6.400 for electric.