Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Flip

1 2 3 4

Original poster

Energy bills price increase

86 replies

fizzypop100 · 29/01/2022 15:08

Our fixed rate ends in April. How can I work out approx how much our new monthly direct debit will be ? It's currently £86 every month (some credit builds in the summer months).
Have e mailed Octopus but expecting a long ish wait for a reply

OP posts:

lollipoprainbow · 30/01/2022 17:46

And if we can't pay it then what ?? They can't squeeze money out of people if they just don't have it.

FatFredsFriedEgg · 30/01/2022 18:08

@lollipoprainbow

And if we can't pay it then what ?? They can't squeeze money out of people if they just don't have it.

They managed in the 1980s. 7 kids in the house and we had our gas and electricity cut off until DGF paid the bills for DM.

TheSnowyOwl · 30/01/2022 18:13

It looks like it will be 48-51% increase.

Original poster

fizzypop100 · 30/01/2022 18:16

The energy companies won't be able to chase up thousands who can't pay

OP posts:

ChildHeadache · 30/01/2022 18:18

I think qe fixed for 2 years just as they were goign up (when martin lewis said not to but think we gotthere just in time - it was more than the qeek before but half thr day after )

It initially doubled but that was based on average 3 bed use and purs is less sp it has gone back down.

lollipoprainbow · 30/01/2022 18:19

I thought if you had kids they couldn't cut you off. It's a bloody disgrace that we are being asked to pay over the odds for our energy through no fault of our own.

marqueses · 30/01/2022 18:20

@fizzypop100

Really concerned about this . There will be millions in a really bad situation when this hits

You're a little bit late to this party, not that it helps expect that you have less time to worry about it but most people have known about this for months and months, it's been endlessly reported and there is pressure on the government to do something to avoid the eat v heat situation for millions.

1dayatatime · 30/01/2022 18:30

@fizzypop100

The energy companies won't be able to chase up thousands who can't pay

Possibly but then the energy companies will just go bust or black mark you as a credit risk so that no other supplier will take you on.

Sadly there really isn't a lot you can do about it other than reduce consumption as best as you are able to.

marqueses · 30/01/2022 18:35

@lollipoprainbow

I thought if you had kids they couldn't cut you off. It's a bloody disgrace that we are being asked to pay over the odds for our energy through no fault of our own.

They can't cut off water but I think as a last resort for non payment they can for power. Happy to be corrected if that's wrong

Didiusfalco · 30/01/2022 18:38

It's scary. I don't think water can be disconnected for non-payment, but gas and electric can, although I think they would have to try and sort some payment options out for you first, but all of that is massively stressful and who wants to be in that position?

1dayatatime · 30/01/2022 18:39

If you compare wholesale prices in December 2020 to December 2021 then wholesale electricity prices have risen about 390% and gas prices by about 475% (Source : Aurora).

Electrify prices increased by 23% just between November 2021 and December 2021.

Crazy as it seems and no comfort to the consumers but a 50% increase in energy bills is quite small in comparison to wholesale price increases. And right now supplying energy to households is a loss making business.

FatFredsFriedEgg · 30/01/2022 18:42

@lollipoprainbow

I thought if you had kids they couldn't cut you off. It's a bloody disgrace that we are being asked to pay over the odds for our energy through no fault of our own.

I was talking about the 1980s, when we were frequently cut off (Conservative Thatcher government). I think/hope it doesn't happen now if there are children or vulnerable adults in the house.

FatFredsFriedEgg · 30/01/2022 18:45

There you go, other people have said that I'm wrong.

Whether you can be 'cut off' or not I expect that people on a card meter just don't get any more warmth if they can't top it up today.

delilahbucket · 30/01/2022 18:47

Octopus have proposed several ideas in order to help deal with this and reduce the initial large increase, including privately borrowing funds in order to spread the increased costs out so it isn't a huge leap. I'm so glad we're with them. Out of all the suppliers, I have been consistently pleased with them year after year, they've never let us down.
If anyone wants to switch I've a £50 off your bill referral if you want one.

Anjo2011 · 30/01/2022 18:52

Ours will increase from Feb by £39 per month. We pay our council tax monthly and don’t pay in feb and March so what’s left will go towards the extra fuel bills. It’s a massive jump, not just a few pounds for most people.

marqueses · 30/01/2022 18:52

I don't know what you mean about the 1980s @FatFredsFriedEgg but while prices are going to increase massively we aren't paying over the odds. The energy companies are losing money because of the price cap

As has been explained above there's a worldwide perfect storm of reasons for this

Original poster

fizzypop100 · 30/01/2022 19:10

@marqueses are you trying to make me look stupid? That's a very unkind comment.

OP posts:

ToootToot · 30/01/2022 19:15

We’re with octopus and our fixed rate deal ends in March: our current direct debit is £115 and the new one we’ve been offered is £283 per month. I could cry.

dementedpixie · 30/01/2022 19:19

@ToootToot

We’re with octopus and our fixed rate deal ends in March: our current direct debit is £115 and the new one we’ve been offered is £283 per month. I could cry.

You dont need to take a fixed rate. What are they offering on the flexible rate tariff?

SweetPetrichor · 30/01/2022 19:30

@lollipoprainbow

And if we can't pay it then what ?? They can't squeeze money out of people if they just don't have it.

They can offer payment plans, point people in the direction of debt advice, if you still can’t pay it then goes to internal and/or external collection agencies. If you still can’t/won’t pay they will get a warrant to install a prepayment meter so you can’t run up more debt. You can also be blocked from changing supplier when you still have debt with your current one. Utilities are a primary bill so it’s relatively robust. They can shut power off but that’s generally due to people messing with their meter, not failing to pay bills. But if you do get your power cut off, you often need to pay to have it started up again. So it’s worth doing your absolute best to keep on top of it and talk to your supplier before the shit hits the fan if you’re having issues. (My DP worked for debt collection for several power suppliers up until a few months ago…I heard nothing but debt calls the entire lockdown when we had to share WFH space!)

ToootToot · 30/01/2022 19:31

No I get that we don’t have to take the fixed rate but still!
Variable tariff is £186 per month, which is a large but manageable increase, but once the cap is raised I suspect we’ll be paying not much shy of the fixed rate anyway 👎🏼

SerendipityJane · 30/01/2022 19:34

I wonder when they'll remove the prohibition on remotely disconnecting smart meters ? That's if they haven't already. It's been very hard to keep up with developments these past few weeks.

Ofalltheginjoints · 30/01/2022 19:35

I'm with Octopus and my fixed rate ends tomorrow, currently I'm paying £97 a month and I'm around £300 in credit, the new fixed rate they offered was £238 per month but because I've been a customer for over 6 months they also offered a lower fixed rate of £172 a month which can be cancelled without any fees so I've gone with that until the cap is announced and I can see if it'll then be cheaper to switch to the variable rate

52andblue · 30/01/2022 19:42

I'm genuinely scared. I paid £256 for Jan (combo gas & electric). Dec was £299 so I've kept the temp really low this month. I can't pay more (Carer, plus disabled myself). Scared & cold.

BritishDesiGirl · 30/01/2022 19:54

@AngelicInnocent

Because our home is also where our business is, we don't have a price cap. Ours are going up by 150% for gas and nearly 170% for electricity.

Same . I'm paying triple

Flip

1 2 3 4