to think people who don't have Smart Meters and who pay monthly or quarterly are going to be in for a shock at their next bill?

[cakeorwine]

Gas has gone up from 4p a kWH this time last year to 10p a kWH this year.
Obviously people with Smart Meters can see this on their display.

But if you still give readings and wait till the bill arrives, I think there are going to be some real surprises. Gas use is at its highest over the next few months.

I know people will have the £66 off their bill - but it's going to be high.

At least with Smart Meters, you can see daily use. Submitting a reading and then getting a statement and bill is going to be a shock for some people.

It might just be me, but it feels a bit like you're implying that everyone without a smart meter is an idiot who doesn't know how to read a meter or pay a bill.

My online account tells me how much last December''s consumption would cost at todays prices. I've just switched to variable DD because Im fed up with the ever increasing amount of credit they insist on keeping. Unless it's exceptionally cold I won't have to pay anything until the end of January and then it will only be a few days worth.

EDF stopped using our monthly readings as they now operate on 2 readings per year. I'm aware of our usage, however, so hopefully no big surprises in spring.. I am very concerned about how the energy firms will continue to sting people going forwards, and I feel very sorry for those who need to choose between heat and eat in this day and age!

Well all I know is my bills are far lower than my smart meter owning friends bills......my last bill averaged at £20 per week dual fuel. Thats with gas central heating, (( prefer my heated throw but on for a couple of hours most nights )) 3 people getting a shower most days, an oven I use most days and a heat pump tumble dryer I try not to use too much but will if I need to. Make of that what you will, but I'll carry on being sensible with my usage and putting my readings in.

This. I don't want a smart meter as I know I will be constantly checking and fretting and it would cause a huge amount of stress. We take a meter reading the first week of the month and we pay £100 monthly toward the next bill so we are usually there figure-wise or a bit in credit since the £66 payment.

There is absolutely no way I’m having a smart meter. I’m not convinced they actually give you the true cost anyway.

It's just you

Ditto. Simples.

My bill last year was 2k, if I keep up similar usage I expect it to be 4.5k.
I have tuned down my thermostat one degree and have the heating on a little less and am wearing clothes for longer so I have less washing, I was also given an air fryer as a gift so have not used my oven for 10 months. Slightly shorter showers.

That is it smart meter or not those are the habit changes I am willing to make.

They might have heard of the increases - but I think that the cost of gas (2.5 times more) and the winter bills could still come as a surprise.

There are people who have switched to pay on bill - as they didn't want to pay the direct debit set by the energy providers. Cheaper in summer but higher in winter.

No because we pay more in the summer so we pay less in winter than you will be doing as it's averaged. Also not thick!

I've never wanted a smart meter, keep getting pestered to get one fitted. Like others have said I read my meters once a month and check my Direct debit covers my usage. Granted there maybe people who bury their heads in the sand but just because I've not got a smart meter doesn't mean I'm doing that.

But gas this winter is 2 1/2 times last year
And winter is the time most gas is used.

Even people who don't have smart brains can remember "DUH yeah, winter is cold, cold is when to turn the heating on. We have to pay for the heating".

If they don't know the price of fuel has risen, they must be living under an insulating stone with ground source heating.

I don’t have a smart meter, but I am v fortunate to be still on a fixed deal so my charges per kw/h have not gone up yet. Will next year when the fixed deal runs out. Also my company ask for monthly meter readings so keep fairly up to date with ongoing costs. Next year I will look at my meter even more frequently.

If they don't know the price of fuel has risen, they must be living under an insulating stone with ground source heating.

😂😂

No, it really isn't just @thelobsterquadrille

You might not have set out with that intention, but that really is how you are coming across.

I reckon my bill for December will be around the £600 mark. So no surprises here. Currently I have the heating on at about 20 degrees, it’s toasty. I hate being cold. Does gall me though that these energy companies are making an absolute killing at the moment.

Those are the people I am worried about. .They could end up in debt, being transferred to prepayment (which is more expensive_) and then worrying about their energy

I'm sure they appreciate your concern. What are you doing about helping them out with positive action. rather than going all mother hen on here?

georgy I'd like one that yells at my dc's to not have 20 min electric showers. There must be a smart shower out there that cuts out after 10 minutes......

You're making little to no sense & scaremongering.

suggest something to absorb the sherry & a bit of Sunday Tv.

Disagree we pay quarterly and our gas was £145 and elec was £138 both include vat & standing charge and that is for 3 months. have a really well insulated home . We aren't expecting any shocks have no intention of having a smart meter have no probs working it out .

Why would we be surprised- we know it's going to be more than double last years price. That's very obvious and highly advertised. Why do you think we can't do this pretty basic maths?

It's NOT just you. This is what the OP is doing. Talking to people on here as if they're simpletons who can't string a sentence together, or spell their own name correctly. So patronising and condescending.

More on energy bills

literacytrust.org.uk/research-services/research-reports/energy-bills-and-literacy-a-survey-of-uk-adults/

Poor readability is an important barrier to engagement with energy bills, particularly for these younger age groups. More than 1 in 5 (22.4%) of 18 to 24-year-olds responsible for paying bills said they sometimes avoided reading their bills because of the language used, compared with just 3.1% of the over 65s.

Younger bill payers struggle to read their energy bills because of the language used. A quarter of 18-to-24-year-olds find it difficult to understand their bills, compared to 1 in 7 adults across all age groups

Simplifying the language used in energy bills would appeal to the majority of bill-payers, with almost two-thirds of bill payers agreeing that the language used in energy bills needed to be more accessible.

There are people out there who struggle with bills.
With maths
With reading
With getting online
With taking meter readings.
Who don't pay by DD

This is not about people like you