Energy prices - what are people doing?

[UndertheCedartree]

Last September my Energy company tried to put my DD up £100. I phoned and told them I couldn't afford it as we live on benefits and I'd also just lost the UC uplift. They agreed to increase by £40.

My DD just came up that they want to put it up £100 again. I just can't afford it. The extra £40 was hard enough. I've cancelled the DD in fright! I was hoping as we have barely put our heating on this winter that it would be ok. I don't know what to do. I hear Bojo saying they are doing their best to help people with this but what are they doing? Does anyone know if there is any help available or what I can do?

I wash my bath towels every two weeks. And my bedding every two weeks. I don't THINK we smell!! Always on cold, with a capful of normal (not expensive 'washing machine' version) disinfectant in the drum. Even DH's smelly gym kit gets cleaned and smells good at 30 degrees. I only put a wash on when we have a completely full load to go. I found we were DEFINITELY using a lot of money on frequent 40 degree washes...thry are seriously more expensive than 30 degrees xx

Submit a meter reading, if you've been overpaying then the reading will help

I’ve read that you pay more if you don’t have a DD. Not sure if it true though ?
I’ve lost read that you pay more if you’re not on a smart meter with some suppliers.

Do you have a gas combi boiler?

If so then it is quite likely the boiler temperature is set too high - this isn't the room temperature, it is the about the temperature the boiler heats the water. Often it is too high (often over 80c) and the boiler is running inefficiently.

This explains it and how to turn it down.
www.theheatinghub.co.uk/articles/turn-down-the-boiler-flow-temperature

What is your actual usage? Your bill should give you a figure in kWh units for electricity and gas.

Money saving expert has some good tips for cutting down energy usage.
Things like Sky boxes/routers/games consoles can draw on power when not being used so switch them off at the wall before bed every night.

Are you WFH or home all day? Or is everyone out at work/school etc during the week?

Its shocking the amount electricity has increased in the UK.

I'm in Ireland. The government pay everyone entitled (certain benefits) €33 a week fuel allowance from September till April. They gave everyone who receives this allowance an extra €125 into their bank accounts a few weeks ago.

Everyone here is getting €200 credit this month on their electricity bill. I'm on a pre pay meter and it topped up by €200 yesterday evening.

I'm fuming that the Government are not doing anything to help with your electricity in the UK.

@RBKB

I wash my bath towels every two weeks. And my bedding every two weeks. I don't THINK we smell!! Always on cold, with a capful of normal (not expensive 'washing machine' version) disinfectant in the drum. Even DH's smelly gym kit gets cleaned and smells good at 30 degrees. I only put a wash on when we have a completely full load to go. I found we were DEFINITELY using a lot of money on frequent 40 degree washes...thry are seriously more expensive than 30 degrees xx

Not to detail the thread but came on to say this also! Reducing towel usage to twice?! Towels last for ages!

To quote a dilbert cartoon -

We’ve turned the heating off and are wearing lots of layers. It’s grim. I’ve taken on a second job but my fuel costs to actually get to it are eating up a big chunk of my wages.

Most energy suppliers have a ‘hardship’ fund - some are well advertised and others less so but they exist. These are targeted at individuals whose financial situation means they cannot afford the recent increases and are offered to help avoid unnecessary debt. You may find that you qualify for this - it may be worth asking.

@GeneLovesJezebel

I’ve read that you pay more if you don’t have a DD. Not sure if it true though ? I’ve lost read that you pay more if you’re not on a smart meter with some suppliers.

Not so in my case. When my gas supplier told me around 7 maybe 8 years ago that my dd would go up to £100 pm I refused to pay it. I have 5 radiators and a combi-boiler, no way in Hell was I spending that much to run them, they even admitted that I was in credit . I asked for a pre-pay meter to be fitted. They were very reluctant saying it would cost me more etc,etc. I insisted so they put one in. I have paid no more than £49 pm to top it up and at the time of posting I am £358 in credit. I swear they just pull a random amount out of their arse and hope nobody questions it

Oh and I don't have a smart meter either.

I know someone who has chosen to go on a key meter. I’m not sure if that’s a great idea as it’s even more expensive, BUT, there is never any debt. She says she sleeps better at night but I’m not sure she will feel that way in winter.

Me personally, I’ve saved the extra £75 a month by stopping my Lidl shop and shopping at Iceland. I only ‘make’ a meal with fresh produce once a week now. I get a packet of frozen chicken skewers or frozen salmon piece, microwave rice or similar and a frozen corn on the cob and it all goes in the oven or microwave for a basic meal. It’s all a bit shit really but we are still getting a relatively healthy meal (chicken is watery though) but the food shop is much cheaper. That’s paid for the increase.

If your tariff ends be careful about opting for a new fixed rate. Ours was going to be £760pm on the fixed but £495pm on the variable follow on rate.

Washing a bath towel after 2 uses?!

I have been doing the sums for our house, we lost our fixed tarrif a few weeks before the price rises and according to MSE are now on the best we can get in our area, 7p for gas and 27p for electricity per kWh. Fixed charges per day are 26p and 48p respectively.

We live in a fairly standard 2 bedroom 1960s semi. On our old fixed tarrifs in March we would have used 47 quids worth of energy, on our new tarrifs it came in at 67. We are home all day ( retired) and careful as we live on a small income, but we don't sit in the freezing cold in the dark. March is a fairly average month, still need the central heating on now and then, we are still getting frosts in the morning. gas goes up massively in the winter months then we barely use any in the summer.

Our gas bill at the new tarrifs was 16 quid for March, 8 of that was the standing charge.

Some of the energy threads on here are bonkers, I can only assume some people live in Downton Abbey style mansions and spend their day floating round the house in shorts and a T shirt like a 1970s British gas advert, then washing towels after a single use.

I know I will get shot down in flames for this, some of the advice I see on here, including switching off fridge freezers at night, is utter bollocks.

Our direct debit is 85 quid a month and they now owe us 20, hopefully we will build up a bit of a surplus over the summer and that will tide us over the winter.