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Original poster

If this is correct, how can a family afford to pay then?

570 replies

InTheNameOfAllThatIsHonest · 22/02/2022 10:13

This is my latest electricity bill. I live alone, in a big (five-bed) house. I am very careful with electricity and gas usage because that's how I was brought up. I don't leave lights on when I leave a room, I use the washing machine every other day and same with the tumble dryer. I use a hair dryer/styling tools once every couple of weeks. Heating is gas and so is cooking. I have checked the meter and it seems to be working just fine. Does this bill seem correct to you? If so, do you mind sharing how much you use/pay and how many people you live with? AIBU in saying that this is not normal for a person living alone? Thank you.

If this is correct, how can a family afford to pay then?
OP posts:
Thread gallery
19
Nat6999 · 23/02/2022 19:22

I'm on benefits & mine is going up £989 a year, I can't sleep for worrying where I am supposed to find it from.

cantbfucked · 23/02/2022 19:23

Family of 4, I’m currently home on maternity leave, our cooker and oven is electric, only heating is gas. Last month we used 444units. Your units are 1245, I know yours is for 46 days but that usage seems pretty steep. I have the tv on all day, lights get left on all the time as much I ask for them to be turned off, our shower is also electric. We live in a small bungalow but from what you’ve said about living alone, I would say the size of your house shouldn’t matter. I’d be worried something is draining your electric. We also have a big fish tank that’s on all the time and with a 5 year old and a baby the washer and dryer is always on too and I cry that our usage is £80odd for 31 days. I know our unit costs would be different but I’d be concerned over the number of units

Kennykenkencat · 23/02/2022 19:27

All those giving low amounts each month for your electric use. Do you have gas central heating because if you do, then you aren’t getting just how expensive electric heating is

Mine is 58p per radiator per hour.

If we turned on the heating in all rooms for just 2 hours per night it would cost us over £10 per day or £300+ per month on just a couple of hours of being warm each day

AutomaticMoon · 23/02/2022 19:28

@Svara

Your electricity is what we use in a year
Your yearly electric bill is under £200?
browneyes77 · 23/02/2022 19:30

I am all electric, I work from home so constantly using power and heating, I live in a 1 bed flat and live alone.

I pay £116 per month

Mumof32017 · 23/02/2022 19:31

There’s 5 of us in a 3 bed house - 3 kids aged 4, 3 and 10 months so I’m washing quite a lot and currently do tumble dry otherwise I’d constantly have mountains of laundry - I don’t tumble clothes - just pjs, bedding, towels etc. our combined costs per day are around £5 a day. I’m constantly watching the meter which I hate but I have to try and cut things where I can.
I take the kids in the shower with me so we’re not running baths and things as that eats the gas because of the hot water. I tell everyone to put their dressing gown on if they’re cold as I hate to have the heating on too long. I think our epc is pretty rubbish as the house doesn’t hold heat, there’s a draught through all of the 22 year old double glazed windows……. We should move 🤦🏻‍♀️

Svara · 23/02/2022 19:33

@Kennykenkencat

All those giving low amounts each month for your electric use. Do you have gas central heating because if you do, then you aren’t getting just how expensive electric heating is

Mine is 58p per radiator per hour.

If we turned on the heating in all rooms for just 2 hours per night it would cost us over £10 per day or £300+ per month on just a couple of hours of being warm each day

The OP said her heating is gas so her usage can be compared to others who also have gas heating but much much lower electricity bills.

I know how expensive electric heating is, a friend has storage heaters and doesn't use heating because of the cost Sad.

obstacalling · 23/02/2022 19:34

Want to house swap with me?

Svara · 23/02/2022 19:38

@AutomaticMoon
I don't know the yearly cost but annual usage on my last bill is 1269kwh, two of us and we have gas heating and hot water.

browneyes77 · 23/02/2022 19:38

@browneyes77

I am all electric, I work from home so constantly using power and heating, I live in a 1 bed flat and live alone.

I pay £116 per month

Pressed post too soon there!

Latest reading (I have a smart meter) states that:

My standing charge is currently at 23.98p per day

My kWh rate is £21.47 (day) and £11.77 (night) - I have economy 7 also.

euronorris · 23/02/2022 19:40

Just a thought, do you have a hot tub? If so that could explain your very high electricity use!

Bunnyfuller · 23/02/2022 19:41

Yep, it’s hideous. I’ve paid more in the last 3 months than in a year previously. And they’re still making massive profits. When will someone stop this, it’s getting like the fucking Middle Ages with the rich wiping their arses on commoners.

Lulu1919 · 23/02/2022 19:41

Our energy bill has gone up by £1-500 a year
We received this info today
1930s detached
Four bed ( well three and a box room )
😟

browneyes77 · 23/02/2022 19:43

I know how expensive electric heating is, a friend has storage heaters and doesn't use heating because of the cost

I had storage heaters for years and only ever switched them on in the depths of winter when it was absolutely freezing. They’re awful things and cost a fortune. I HATED them!!

I managed to get them swapped out for electric radiators which have been much better and allow me to heat my home when I want to rather than losing heat as I go through the day. They’re far more eco friendly than the storage heaters and allow for timers, auto switch off if a window is detected as being open etc Much better!!

LoisLane66 · 23/02/2022 19:49

Mine 2 bed property. Gas: combi boiler 5 large rads, gas hob.
Elec fan oven, fridge with half freezer over, w/ machine, no dryer, clothes steamer, induction hob, plus other kitchen aids combi microwave/oven/ grill.
Air dry clothes. Shower over bath. Hair washed every 4th day. Laundry, one load per week.
Usual lamps in all rooms except bathroom and no individual thermostats on radiators. All on or none.

Gas. Welcome SV tariff whole amount DD monthly. 5th Jan - 14th Feb (40 days) £25.96
4.169p pkWh 26.12ppd
April 1st gas SV tariff will be 7.480p pkWh 27.22ppd.
Both with EDF no exit fees and elec business tariff > Oct 2024
Actually, EDF messed my account around so much after moving from Utility Point that I complained, so the last bill was wiped.

If this is correct, how can a family afford to pay then?
If this is correct, how can a family afford to pay then?
LoisLane66 · 23/02/2022 19:53

Electricity charges are 0.175p pkWh 25ppd with 7% rebated. (no idea why)

Livelovebehappy · 23/02/2022 19:55

Sorry, I haven’t rtft, but you don’t have an electric fire do you OP? We moved into our current house two years ago, and faced a quarterly bill of £800 when our previous similar sized home was £350. We tested everything, and found out it was our electric fire which was literally gobbling up our electric. We no longer use it and bills have gone back to normal.

70kid · 23/02/2022 19:59

@euronorris I have a hot tub my electric for the year was about £900 and that’s on a prepayment meter . I just had my yearly statement last month
I rarely use the tumble dryer but I honestly don’t skimp on electric use with lights and washing machine
My Gas is also pre payment at about £50 a month and we put the heating on when we want it normally it’s set at 17
And we have loads of showers
3 adults in a 3 bed 2 bath house

Mollymalone123 · 23/02/2022 20:00

We ding have gas where we live- we had to turn off electric radiators and bloody freeze-our bills have been £300-£380 per month! Ed bought halogen heaters and only put one in when we are really cold! 2 bed detached bungalow with 2 adults

70kid · 23/02/2022 20:03

A flat that we own has new electric radiators that we had put in last year .
Previously it had storage heaters and it was costing the 35 -40 a week to heat sometimes more in winter on a pre payment meter
Since having the new ones put in her electric bill dropped to around £15-20 a week and the flat is so much warmer
Storage heaters are awful would never ever have them in a house GCH all the way wherever possible

Carriecakes80 · 23/02/2022 20:07

Sounds about right if you're on a variable rate tariff. We are on a fixed tariff, which is 7 of us in a 2 bed house and ours is cheaper than that, roughly about £135-155. My eldest has just moved out though so expecting it to hopefully go down a little! :-)
Btw we never have the heating on, not even once in the past year, but we do have a lot of clothes to wash and nowhere to dry them so tumble drier is on a lot!! Trying to cut down tho! x

Wherearemymarbles · 23/02/2022 20:09

I’d say 850kwh for 1 person for a month is high. 4 people in a 5 bed house 2 wfh and an electrically heated garden room and we use around 550kwh per month at this time of year.
Re towels - we air dry and then tumble for 15 mins so they are fluffy. At 3kwh a tumble is 45p an hour to run at your rate but i doubt its just that

Could be your meter. Our 1st smart is properly up the spout so is being replaced.

UnCivil · 23/02/2022 20:12

I live alone in a 2 bedroom house. WFH. Used 740 kWh is January. Don’t use my tumble dryer since last Apr when I realised it wasn’t drying properly so that will have been costing me a lot for no benefit
How often to you use your oven? Put the kettle in for a cup of tea?

Doris86 · 23/02/2022 20:19

Lots of people posting on here about how cheap their energy bills are at the moment. Yes of course they are. The new massively increased price cap doesn’t kick in until 1st April. Then you’ll all get a big shock.

sunshineforest · 23/02/2022 20:22

Just got an email from my gas supplier - projected increase of £956 a year Sad

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