To not have realised this?! (Bulb customers, but may help others)

[Newbie198]

So Bulb want to increase my payments from £170 a month to £260, with an absolute minimum of £234.

I phoned and explained that my £170 plus the £66 from the government totals £236 (above their minimum) so I’m all good thanks, no need to increase payments. Happy for them to reassess in March when the government help stops.

Tried to reduce the new direct debit amount online, will not accept any less than £234 a month (replacing the current £170). Clearly the £234 they want me to pay, plus the government £66 makes £300 a month Bulb intend on taking.

Phoned back, trying my best to explain that the government’s £66 means my payments are enough. Bulb did not seem to see my point.

Some companies I believe, are indeed using the government’s £66 to reduce customer payments, which of course was the original intention was it not? To help keep payments manageable through the winter.

Bulb, and maybe others, are keeping the £66 (ok, crediting it to your account) whilst still demanding massive increases from the customer. I want the government help to make things easier for me now, not to be banked in my account as a credit.

So, I cancelled my direct debit. They try to scare you by saying you may be charged £20 for doing this. However, you have the right to pay by bank transfer (as well as other methods) which is what I have requested. They still want a minimum £234 by bank transfer, but of course I have control over this and will pay £170. If they want to take me to court for being £500 in credit and rising thanks to the government’s help, I wish them luck.

So, I hadn’t realised that some companies are not deducting the £66 off your monthly payments to help you, but are banking this money (as a credit to your account) and still trying to up people’s payments by ridiculous amounts.

Just wanted to let people know there are other options if you are worried about how you are going to pay these latest unreasonable increases.

I suspect Bulb, and maybe others, are using the government help to keep plenty of people in loads of credit whilst still upping their payments, perhaps to cover those who won’t or can’t pay in the future. I’d rather my £500 or whatever be used by me how I choose, especially in these difficult times, not sat in Bulb’s account.

I find this interesting- we've been with Bulb years and they've never tried to put our payments up hugely. When they have suggested increases the maths has always worked with respect to our usage and the rates at the time... I wonder if its partly because we do very regular meter readings?? I can't think why the algorithm would be so fucked for some but pretty bang on for others!

I'm with eon and they have a higher unit rate if you don't pay by direct debit.

They told me that I had to have a direct debit set up but I could take a meter reading and pay what I owe. I’m quite please that they seem to have changed this.

I wondered why they hadn’t immediately phoned me when I cancelled the DD!

They suggested an increase of £175 to £220. I said no. They said ok

I asked bulb to take the government money off the monthly direct debit rather than add it to credit as we had already built up over £400 in credit over the summer but they said no. So I’ve withdrawn half of my credit and will put that to one side for bills. Luckily our monthly payments haven’t really increased but will be interesting come April to see what they will be.

Another thumbs up for EDF for me.
I am billed 6-monthly; I was nearly £300 in credit after my bill was calculated last week and was cross as they told me my payments were going up by another £45pcm. That was until I realised they had already put the £300 in my bank account and the monthly £66.
So much cleaner than continuously building up credit and not knowing what you are actually spending.

I think this is the first time in my life I have been very happy with a utility provider

@Newbie198 Bulb just reduced ours without being asked. We’ve had the first £66 or £67 (forget which) credited. I have noticed a lot of people think there’s a cap on what you will pay but there isn’t. There is a cap on the price per unit of electricity. So if you use a lot of electricity you will still pay for all the units. So, 3000 units at 10p each would be £300. But 30000 units at 10p each would be £3000 (I know the unit cost is more - just an example for easy maths). If Bulb think you use a lot, they will still be within their rights to increase your direct debit accordingly. Can you check your accoutn/statements to see how many kwh of electricity you used over each month last winter then multiply by the unit cost to check your expected bill each month, deduct the £66 and see if your direct debit will cover it? That way you can know for sure.

We average around 350 kwh electricity a month. So can easily work out the standing charge, the cost of the units and then average out the payments.

I'm with Bulb and they have actually decreased my payment from £200 a month to £117 a month as I was in quite a lot of credit (overpaying in readiness for winter and price hike)

I just tell Octopus what I want my dd to be. I can do my own budgeting don't need them to look after my money for me.

BTW if you have credit on your account you can ask them to refund it to you, they have to do it.

Use EON here. They reduced our DD by £66 for October and are doing the same for the next 5 months. Seems clear and fair to me.

I am with Bulb and they have reduced my monthly payments in light for the £66 🤷‍♀️

This isn’t true I with bulb and they reduced my debit from 114 to 77 from October to account for the grant. The same has also happened to a friend so I think they are telling you that they expect your bill to be around £300 a month after the increase and you should pay £234. Of course you can disagree as you have done but I don’t believe you should make the assumption the grant isn’t being accounted for

It does appear Bulb seem to be doing right by some of their customers, which I am relieved about as I may have been unlucky here. I am however telling the truth!

My new increased amount is to cover the predicted rise in costs and that new amount is £234, from £150. This seems correct from my past usage as I keep records and I also provide meter readings monthly. I am always in credit, often by hundreds of pounds, so no, I don’t think I need to pay £300. Also, like many others I have reduced my useage considerably.

I do think Bulb may reduce my payments retrospectively as they have done with pp, but my point remains that bank transfer will eliminate the uncertainty I think.

had an email from British Gas yesterday to say they had changed my account number but not to worry all will be the samw as before. I logged in and there is no history so I can't see if I've had the £66 credit, if I'm in credit, what by usage was...I know my DD is £283 and I'm sure I'm in credit from the summer, but I would like to feel on top of my account (even though it feels totally out of my control!)

@ChocolateHelps if you logged in via a link in the email it might be a good idea to ring them and check the email wasn't a phishing scam.

This isn’t true I with bulb and they reduced my debit from 114 to 77 from October to account for the grant. The same has also happened to a friend so I think they are telling you that they expect your bill to be around £300 a month after the increase and you should pay £234. Of course you can disagree as you have done but I don’t believe you should make the assumption the grant isn’t being accounted for

Agree with this. Even with the price cap, the cost of energy this winter will be more than double what it was in February 2021.

I’m with SSE. I no longer pay by DD as they were charging me £250 a month across gas and electric and I ended up a grand in credit and what a battle I had to get MY money back - over four bloody months!! As far as I am concerned they are all robbing bastards! I’m yet to find a fuel company that is fair.

I do think I was unlucky with customer service agents who did not agree that the new amount included the £66 reduction. It seems from other posters that it did…

I’m grateful for the opinions of others and will stand corrected that Bulb seem to be behaving reasonably for the majority of customers.

The whole direct debit thing has always been an issue. I will now pay as the bill comes in, although I realise for some people they like and need the security of a regular payment, even if it means building up credit.

I'm with bulb too, they put my DD up to 180 from 140, I'm currently 500 in credit on my account! I've cancelled the DD and will continue to pay the 140!

@Newbie198 Bulb were a nightmare when prices went up. I had to email and call repeatedly until they understood basic maths and reduced my DD to what it should be. (They originally seemed to think that in addition to prices increasing, my usage would also skyrocket - er, no.)

They've actually let me reduce my DD to £1 now, given the now huge credit. I suppose I could ask for a refund, but I can't be bothered arguing on the phone again.

I'm not surprised by your experience.

This is also what I think. I am also with Bulb. I think they have taken into account your average yearly usage. What is your yearly usage?

I’m also with bulb, they’ve reduced my dd by £66. So I’m currently paying £14 a month. I’ve got quite a lot of credit so I’m hoping they won’t ask me to increase it over the winter…

Not necessarily “like and need the security of a regular payment, even if it means building up credit”

many companies have a discount on bills if you pay by direct debit, which isn’t great because it disadvantages those who can’t pay that way, but if you can then you wouldn’t want to lose it would you?

I'm with bulb. They have reduced my payment

@BiasedBindingGood point - with Bulb I think the price is the same whichever method you choose, but agreed that direct debit is often cheaper. Again, those who are least able to afford it are disadvantaged.

I realise for some that paying the bill when it comes in is too uncertain as of course the winter months would be very hard to budget for, for those with limited incomes. Been there myself in the past.

I've always found Bulb calcs super accurate & this month i had an email reducing my dd because of the gov support but not reducing it by £66 coz of price increase.
Calculate 12 months usage @ current unit rate (capped) plus standing charge & divide it by 12. Take £66 off and it should be right for next 6 months. It's normal to be in credit going into winter because payments are being spread over 12 months not being directly based on usage.