New gas and elec tariff! Oh my!!

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Our fixed rate gas and electric tariff for which we paid £156 a month comes to an in September. We have been v lucky to have been protected from the April rises.
We have just had our new tariff come through - it’s going up to £702 a month. Wtf do I do? I know everyone is in the same boat but holy crap, I had about £500 in my head not £700!

Are you in credit and up to date with payments?

That is obscene.
There's not much can you do, other than making sure that you submit readings every month to try and ensure that you are only paying for actual usage.
My energy company went bust in September. I had been paying £78 per month on a fixed tariff. I was moved to Shell and they instantly put it up to £180 and in April it went to £280. ( I can see that I have built some credit through summer but decided to leave it) God knows what I'll be paying next month.

This is ridiculous!

Is that estimate based on realistic numbers of your usage?

You don't have to pay that per month. You can just put meter readings in and pay differently each bill. Just say no to that and set the amount you want it to be then just keep topping up so you don't get too much in debt.

I think we are going to need a dedicated board soon, the amount of people who are going to suffer is just ridiculous.

I dread any more increases to my energy bills. If they wanted £700+ a month it just wouldn't be doable for us.

Is this a fixed rate package they want to sell you to "protect" yourselves from future prices (I suspect it is), or is it an actual estimate of what you have used over the last 12 months taking into account the new prices?

Sorry this is mad.

I’ve been on a fixed contract since last year and I’m scared about what will happen when it runs out next year. This is ridiculous

£700!!! No I just couldn't, that's nearly half my wage and I'm a lone parent.

I'm on variable pay as you go, came with the council house when we were homeless and couldn't switch it.

But I'm only paying at the moment £50 electric a month and £23 gas, but I'm still topping up £50 on each meter to prepare for winter.

It's just me and my son oh and the dog, small 2 bedroom house. I'm out all day working he's in school. And even when I WFH on the odd day my laptop is pennies to run.

That's crazy. You wont need to pay that much! even with the rises. We are in a simular boat, paying £110 fixed till beginning of Nov. I'm not looking forward to what they'll offer from then om. We've got £350 credit on the account though, so if they offered me something crazy I'd refuse it and do regular meter readings.

What were your old tarrifs and what are your new tarrifs?

The numbers you have posted are your direct debits.

It's probably another fix but you have to compare for your usage. It might be best going on the variable.

But they must have sent a load of these out, there's another thread running where the OPs price is close to £12k and someone else has just posted that their's is over 13k.

Thats what they are hoping you will pay, its highly unlikely its based on your actual usage. Have you worked out what that is from last years usage?

How many people are actually going to be able to afford this crap?

That will be a fixed rate. Fixed rates are mostly much higher than the variable tariff at the moment. Don’t sign up to a fixed tariff, just go onto variable and hope for the best.

Sorry - it is another fix for a year.
Elec stan charge - 39.08p Unit rate 68.83p
Gas stan charge - 21.46p, unit rate 23.49p

It appears to be based on actual usage - just running the figures now.

I can't seem to find their current variable rate anywhere! Still searching

Very high rates - you're probably better just sticking on the variable instead. Check the MSE calculator.

If I had fixed in 2 weeks ago it was only £500 - I was just heading off on holiday and decided to do it when I got back. What a fool!

Predictions attached

Calculator

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/-are-there-any-cheap--fixed-energy-deals-currently-worth-it--/

I said literally cannot afford that! I can pay x amount, if it’s anymore then that I’ll cancel my direct debit and pay by standing order. They agreed the amount I offered.

This absolutely terrifies me. I'm on a very good fixed deal until the end of April next year. Electric only paying £48 per month.

If my bill went up that much I would have to ask them to cut me off and live without electricity. I have a camping stove and would have to use this for cooking. Washing would have to be in cold water and I would have to go to the local leisure centre for a shower. Paying £700 pm would mean I wouldn't be able to afford to pay my rent.

WTF do they expect people to do? I have a DD with SN and we just about manage at the moment. That type of increase would leave us on the streets.

You'll need to turn it off at the mains, god knows how high the dog will put the heating on when you're out!!!

You don't have to pay the proposed fixed rates.

You don't have to get your gas or electricity cut off!

Just really cut down on both. There are loads of ideas and suggestions on various threads to economise on useage.

Quite apart from exorbitant costs aren't we all supposed to be cutting our energy use to save the planet and stop climate change???