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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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What has your energy bill increased to? ☹️🤬

174 replies

OhPeeQueue · 02/12/2021 07:01

Received an email last night that my energy bill was increasing. Gas-£109 a month. Electric-£79 a month. To think we were only paying around £120 a month a year or two ago, they’ve steadily increased the price.

I was working 2 jobs up until a few months ago and stopped due to stress. Wish I hadn’t now. ☹️.

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 02/12/2021 07:02

Is that your direct debit they are increasing? Are you in credit? Were you on a fixed rate tariff?

OhPeeQueue · 02/12/2021 07:11

I’m in credit, but haven’t checked how much. We usually keep the heat off and electric down during summer for 6/7 months so it builds up for the winter. I usually see my direct debit decrease around this time of year, because of this. But they’ve increased it instead.

OP posts:
OhPeeQueue · 02/12/2021 07:18

And they had this really patronising part about how we can save energy. For us, we’d stop cooking meals every night and not turn the heat on 4pm-10pm. We have an electric heater in the bathroom that’s on all the time. It’s basic comfort especially for our children.

OP posts:
Ilikewinter · 02/12/2021 07:20

Our gas has doubled for November but DD has stayed the same at the minute as we have built up credit throughout the summer months, however i think we will have gone through the credit by January so will need to either make an additional ayment or up the DD.

dementedpixie · 02/12/2021 07:33

@OhPeeQueue

I’m in credit, but haven’t checked how much. We usually keep the heat off and electric down during summer for 6/7 months so it builds up for the winter. I usually see my direct debit decrease around this time of year, because of this. But they’ve increased it instead.
I'd check how your usage compares to what they are going to charge you and amend the direct debit down if you feel its too much
poshme · 02/12/2021 07:33

Keeping an electric heater on all the time is expensive. Can't you turn it on a short while before bath time, and then off again after? Leave the door open so the room gets heat from the (non-electric) radiators in other rooms.

poshme · 02/12/2021 07:34

How big is your house with how many people?

Bingbong21 · 02/12/2021 07:35

Mine has some how decreased to £39 a month and EDF won't review until June despite being based on an incorrect reading and receiving the correct one Confused

dementedpixie · 02/12/2021 07:42

Can you not ask them to change the direct debit or make a one off payment to them?
I'm with Octopus and can change my payment up and down online

RagzReturnsRebooted · 02/12/2021 07:46

Up from £80 to £130, combined. I was on a cheap fix, then they went bust so now tarrif is around the price cap.

TuftyMarmoset · 02/12/2021 07:53

Mine hasn’t changed - £47 a month for gas & electricity combined. Is there anything you can do to reduce the amount you are heating? Eg turn down radiators in rooms you aren’t using, draught excluders, thick curtains/curtain thermal liners, curtains at front/back door, filling in any gaps around windows, etc?
And use the hob rather than oven, limit tumble dryer etc?

unluckyinlife · 02/12/2021 07:57

My combined bill has gone up around £100 this quarter. x

SeekingBalance · 02/12/2021 07:57

We are eon, gone from 79 pounds per month to 160. Husband has been trying to deal with this with no luck so I'm now on it. We've apparently used the 250 pounds we were in credit with. 2 ned house with 2 children, new baby was poorly so I had the heating on alot more than usual and we need one or two windows replacing as there are drafts coming through. Any one with any advise of what to say to them would be grateful received.

FourTeaFallOut · 02/12/2021 07:58

Have you come off a fixed rate and on to the cap rate?

Ukholidaysaregreat · 02/12/2021 08:00

Bingbong that is a nightmare. I would guess what you think it should be and save that amount in a separate account. Once EDF check they will want it all back asap. I find these large companies thoughtless about individual circumstances.

Hoppinggreen · 02/12/2021 08:00

Ours was £130 and we have just had an email saying it’s going up to £200!
It’s partly my fault as I knew we had a balance building up but I didn’t expect it to go up so much. We did get a hot tub in June which certainly hasn’t helped

ThatsMySantaHisBeardIsSoFluffy · 02/12/2021 08:09

I'd love to have a house big enough to have some unused rooms!

Anyway, ours has gone from £83 to £132, but I knew it would have to, as prices have gone up 50% since the fix which allowed the payment to be £83 (fixed June 20, supplier went bust Jan / Feb and stayed on the cheap tariff until my account was finally set up with EDF in the August, at which point I fixed again at the increased rate. I kept the £83 payment as I was in credit, but it's been upped now, which is fine, as I think the credit will be gone by January, as per a PP.

It'll be tight, but we will manage.

ThatsMySantaHisBeardIsSoFluffy · 02/12/2021 08:10

@Ukholidaysaregreat

Bingbong that is a nightmare. I would guess what you think it should be and save that amount in a separate account. Once EDF check they will want it all back asap. I find these large companies thoughtless about individual circumstances.
You can also make top-up payments by card, which is what I'd do.
MilkTart · 02/12/2021 08:19

@SeekingBalance

We are eon, gone from 79 pounds per month to 160. Husband has been trying to deal with this with no luck so I'm now on it. We've apparently used the 250 pounds we were in credit with. 2 ned house with 2 children, new baby was poorly so I had the heating on alot more than usual and we need one or two windows replacing as there are drafts coming through. Any one with any advise of what to say to them would be grateful received.
@SeekingBalance you are probably paying back a bit of underpayment as well as the increased amount for the future. The default will be to recoup any accrued underpayment by your next annual review (your statement should tell you when that is). Ask them how much the built up underpayment is and to spread it over a longer period.
CPDubs · 02/12/2021 08:48

We’re in a large Edwardian end of terrace with double glazed wooden sash windows. Our dd was about £120 a month averaged out over the year. Now prices have gone up our smart meter is hitting £10-11 a day 😵😵😵😵

pointythings · 02/12/2021 09:36

Mine has stayed the same, my credit is still building up a little - but right now it's just me in the house. I expect my electricity usage to rocket when I have all the kids home for Christmas. I WFH so heating usage won't change much, but I will be nagging them hard about turning things off.

AnnaSW1 · 02/12/2021 10:33

This is making me feel better as I thought it was just us. It's gone from £130 per month to £200

FluffyBooBoo · 02/12/2021 10:38

Mine has gone from £50 to £55 pm.

DraigFach · 02/12/2021 10:58

Ours has increased by £40 a month but I was following energy news closely so jettisoned my fixed price deal that was going to expire in Nov in favour of a new fixed price deal until the end of 2023 just before all the small companies started folding. If I'd waited until my tariff had expired I'd be stuck on the new much higher standard capped rate, or looking at the even more pricey fixed price deals because the new cap in April is going to be much higher to stop so many energy providers from folding.

I dread what the increase will look like in 2023 if this trend continues.

TheCanyon · 02/12/2021 11:05

£109 to £184, we are always at least two hundred in credit too but two months on the Octopus Avro tariff has near wiped it out. What a time to be alive Sad