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Original poster

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:
Nidan2Sandan · 02/12/2021 11:13

Mine was around £98 a month. I just got charged £60 for electricity and £37 for gas for November. I've increased my DD by £10 a month, so we'll see what happens.

I have my heating on a few times a day with the occasional boost, we have a gas hob & we have tonnes of electrical items so usually my gas is the lower bill. I'm worried about this year though.

TuftyMarmoset · 02/12/2021 15:42

@ThatsMySantaHisBeardIsSoFluffy unless you live in a studio you probably aren’t using all your rooms at the same time though. For example, probably don’t need to heat your bedroom during the day or kitchen at night.

@CPDubs that is horrifying! On the plus side any energy saving measures, insulation, even solar panels would pay for themselves pretty quickly.

ThatsMySantaHisBeardIsSoFluffy · 02/12/2021 15:54

I work in my bedroom, as I WFH. And our rooms drop to below 16° without heat as well, which then takes more heating to get back up to a reasonable temp.

We're quite frugal with heating, but I'm not having freezing rooms; that's a false economy.

ThatsMySantaHisBeardIsSoFluffy · 02/12/2021 15:54

Oh, kitchen has no rad in it either. And we don't hear any room at night (after 7-8 ish).

Sparklingbrook · 02/12/2021 15:58

I was with Southern Electric, got an email to say I'm with OVO now. It's £184 a month for combined gas and electricity now. Apparently once we've been with them for 8 weeks we may have some options.

mewkins · 02/12/2021 16:02

Gas and electric combined up from 89 to 122 pm. Moved to another fixed deal just before it all went crazy (the previous week I could have got it for a tenner less per month which is annoying).

userxx · 02/12/2021 16:03

@Sparklingbrook

I was with Southern Electric, got an email to say I'm with OVO now. It's £184 a month for combined gas and electricity now. Apparently once we've been with them for 8 weeks we may have some options.

How much were you paying with southern electric?

MooshWoosh · 02/12/2021 16:05

Our DD is currently £220 pcm, although that is due to go up next week.
The annoying thing is the house is still cold at that (15-17degrees with heating on). Wouldn’t mind paying so much if I could get comfortable!
But that’s the trade off for an old draughty house.

userxx · 02/12/2021 16:07

@CPDubs

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 😵😵😵😵

Jesus!! I get panicked if my smart meter gets to £4.50!!

Original poster
OhPeeQueue · 02/12/2021 16:08

I remember the man from money saving expert telling people to hold out moving suppliers a month or so ago. Should I try to find a new supplier? It sounds like there’s no point as they’ve all jacked up the price.

We’re 5 people. 3 bedrooms. Late 20s/early 30s house. Can’t afford new windows. Our own window gets condensation and mould problems… Kids have the best bedrooms that are warmer, but windows could be draight proofed. suppose could do the downstairs doors too. We have double lined curtains. Maybe I could put another layer of something in them?

I’ve turned the bathroom electric heater off today and will only put on in the morning.

I’ve just checked I’m £274 in credit in gas and £236 credit in electric. So that credit will take us to January? Or February?

I feel like I live in the 80’s. I remember my parents saving money on heating and my mum lining curtains. This is so shit.

OP posts:
IfNot · 02/12/2021 16:10

I’m not sure what to do because we were with Bulb. I cancelled the DD and keep taking meter readings but have no idea what tariff we are on or when they will send us a bill….I just don’t trust energy companies to be taking a DD right now and would rather put the money to one side every month for when the bill comes but having to guess how much that’s gonna be….Confused

malmi · 02/12/2021 16:12

Nobody is paying the true cost of energy at the moment. We're all protected by the price cap. Sorry that's not a great answer but my advice is to get the smart meter's In Home Display and use it to actually monitor how much energy you are using. Once you realise how much it costs to have a 5 minute shower versus a 30 minute shower, or washing the clothes at 30 degrees versus 60 degrees, you can start to take some actions that will actually reduce your costs.

The amount on the monthly DD is irrelevant in the long run, what matters is how much energy you are actually consuming because that is what dictates how much you have to pay.

NotMyCat · 02/12/2021 16:12

Mines gone down Blush as j moved to a lower fixed rate from the bulb one I was on

malmi · 02/12/2021 16:14

@IfNot

I’m not sure what to do because we were with Bulb. I cancelled the DD and keep taking meter readings but have no idea what tariff we are on or when they will send us a bill….I just don’t trust energy companies to be taking a DD right now and would rather put the money to one side every month for when the bill comes but having to guess how much that’s gonna be….Confused
You just need to follow the instructions on Bulb's site, email them and tell them you want to pay by monthly bank transfer, cheque or cash. bulb.co.uk/payment-methods/

You should also take steps to get into your online account where you can see your tariff information and see your daily energy consumption (if you have a smart meter)

Willyoujustbequiet · 02/12/2021 16:15

EDF up from £130 combined to £210. It's higher than my council tax now.

Poetnojo · 02/12/2021 16:19

My last electricity bill was €452 for 2 months. That doesn't include heating as we have oil heating and we filled the tank a couple of months ago for roughly €1000. Also buy a bag of coal and sticks @ €18 per week. We all wear primark oodies around the house during the day.

Cocomarine · 02/12/2021 16:21

I don’t understand why you’re heating the bathroom at all - especially with an electric heater, those make my meter go wild!

If you’re in shower or bath, you don’t need heating. For everything else, dressing gown on, they’re not lengthy activities. Grab a towel and dry yourself in a heated room, like a bedroom.

userxx · 02/12/2021 16:24

@IfNot

I’m not sure what to do because we were with Bulb. I cancelled the DD and keep taking meter readings but have no idea what tariff we are on or when they will send us a bill….I just don’t trust energy companies to be taking a DD right now and would rather put the money to one side every month for when the bill comes but having to guess how much that’s gonna be….Confused

It's business as usual for bulb at the moment, the tariff hasn't changed and you will receive your bill on the normal date. If you have a smart meter and bulb app you'll be able to see what you're spending each day. Why cancel your DD ?

earsup · 02/12/2021 16:33

No change here as managed to fix until sept 2023 before prices went up...but will go ahead with solar panels and not dither again, once tariff expires....cant do much more to keep house warm...insulate etc...all done...get tired of reading silly tips about how to save....there is only so much you can do..!!...maybe burn the furniture or the stairs....!!

dementedpixie · 02/12/2021 16:38

@IfNot

I’m not sure what to do because we were with Bulb. I cancelled the DD and keep taking meter readings but have no idea what tariff we are on or when they will send us a bill….I just don’t trust energy companies to be taking a DD right now and would rather put the money to one side every month for when the bill comes but having to guess how much that’s gonna be….Confused
You should have left the direct debit as they are running as usual for the time being. Maybe set it back up again or you'll end up hugely in debt to them
KDJ78 · 02/12/2021 16:38

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ThatsMySantaHisBeardIsSoFluffy · 02/12/2021 16:53

@Cocomarine, we have a badly-insulated (shitty conversion of an outhouse) north-facing bathroom. We certainly DO need to heat our bathroom as 10° is not a pleasant temp to be getting undressed in!

DdraigGoch · 02/12/2021 16:55

My electricity price (per kWh) has doubled.

Titsywoo · 02/12/2021 16:55

I pay £150 a month and Bulb wanted me to increase it to £350! I said no and I just top up each month over the £150 to keep me at zero balance

YuleHaveAWonderfulChristmas · 02/12/2021 17:19

My electric was £30 a month and now it's £50.

Gas was £30 in summer and £60 in winter a month now its £45 in summer and £70 in winter.

3 bed house.

My friend pays £300 a month combined!