Gas usage calculations and how to manage heating

[Graphista]

I know loads are posting similarly so apologies but I really need help.

I put my heating on about 4 weeks ago, took a reading then and one today. I've used an online calculator for usage price and it's scared the crap outta me! Thankfully I've a buffer of credit with my energy company but I still want to keep costs down while not being too cold and keeping the flat in order (rented, already had an email from landlord re heating needs to be on to avoid frozen pipes etc)

With some trial and error I've worked out during the day 17°c on thermostat is about right for me. But I've not been changing it at night and tbh sometimes I'm getting too warm anyway which is of course daft and wasteful.

How do I work out what to have thermostat at? If turning down for night how?

And can someone help me work out my costs as I'm not sure the online calculator was accurate and I'm not even sure what kind of meter I have for calculations (I can post a pic if needed)

I'm terrible at this sort of maths and find it all incredibly confusing.

Can anyone please help?

Scared I'm facing a dd of £130 quid a month by their calculations I think I cannot afford that!

Just checked and edf website says they only bill twice a year so the credit builds up and then the bill is produced every 6 months (although the dates on yours is only 5 months)

They apparently wanted my dd to go up to £146 pm from £80

I've requested to "reduce" it to £117 pm which is the lowest I could do on app.

I don't know how much more I can do to reduce usage.

Thoughts are :

Reduce thermostat as low as poss without me freezing not sure what temp this will be

Turn off radiators in kitchen & bathroom if I can as I don't really need those heated.

Get an electric blanket and use my hot water bottles and wrapping up warmer which admittedly I have been lax in doing! This has been a real wake up call!

Worried sick!

I know you said it's an absolute pain but I think you should look into setting your timer each day.

Or lower the temperature at night - if there's a way you can set the timer so the heating goes down say an hour before bed and comes back on when you're getting up. That might save you a bit.

Do you have thermal underwear? I have a top and leggings from m&s and they keep me very toasty at night.

Also if your hands feel the cold try some fingerless gloves

I've turned thermostat down to 10° from 17°, turned it down to 14° last night and was warm enough when in bed and wrapped up.

I've turned radiators in kitchen and living room (don't spend much time in there if I'm home I'm usually in bed to rest leg) down to "1" will do bathroom one next time I go in.

I've wrist warmers somewhere but yes can get/wear warmer clothes.

Bill is now available to see.

This is what's on bill I feel like there's something amiss somewhere but I'm panicking so can't see it, hoping you fantastic people can make sense of it for me?

Bill date 8/2/23
Covers period 9/9/22 - 8/2/23

Balance on last bill - £111.22 in credit

You paid us £421 (1 x £101 4 x £80) [I reduced dd at this time as was already struggling]

Refunds £266

Charges for this period (inc vat) £598.10

New account balance £331.88 in debit

[to my mind that means £111.22 in credit plus £421 paid = £532.22 - which is what I was in credit by before submitting readings but then deduct £598.10 makes new account balance £65.88 in debit]

But they say

New account balance £331.88 in debit

Your monthly payments will change to £146 as of 20/3/23

[paraphrasing]

We've completed our review and you're off track there's an outstanding amount of £251.88 now due

Don't worry this has been added to your DD

We expect you to spend £1497.42 on energy over the next year

We'll take one more £80 then from 20/3/23 we'll take

£125 to cover the energy we estimate you'll use over the year

£21 towards paying off outstanding balance

You cannot change supplier unless outstanding paid off

You can pay off outstanding balance now and keep the DD lowER

TOTAL RECENT ACCOUNT ACTIVITY

ELECTRIC

9/9/22-30/9/22.

Previous read 26415 your read

[I've no record of this reading and I've a note of all readings on my phone plus I've kept the photos of the readings and no reading of this figure]

Latest read 26628 estimated

Units used 213 KWH x 42.53p = £90.59

1/10/22-8/2/23

Previous read 26628 estimated
Latest 27525 your read

897 KWH x 32.15p [this rate is less than tariff info states] = £288.39

Standing charge (153 days @ 47.28p per day) [also less than tariff info stated] = £72.34

Subtotal electric £451.32

GAS

9/9/22-30/9/22

Previous read 7384 your read

Latest 7392 estimated 8 units = 91kwh x 12.578p = £11.45

1/10/22-8/2/23

Previous read 7392 estimated

Latest read 7681 your read
289 units = 3275 KWH x 9.787p [again less than tariff info states] = £320.52

Standing charge (153 days @ 25.92p per day [again less than stated] = £39.66

Subtotal gas £371.63

Subtotal both £556.95 [but £451.32 + £371.63 = £822.95?!)

Vat £41.15

Total £598.10

I am SO confused! And I don't really trust estimated readings not sure impact they're having on me?

On plus side I got WHD so that's £150 off hopefully that will help a little?

I've a dr appointment so need to head off soon for that wifi/data can be hit and miss there but I will check back in soon as I can.

Head is spinning!

I need to speak to them at some point but I want to understand as well as possible before doing so, so that I can best communicate with them.

Your actual usage was £864.10 as you had the government support payments of £66/67 and that adds up to £266 which needs adding onto the £598.10 you were actually charged. £598.10 + £266 = 864.10.

£532.22 (111.22 + 421) - £864.10 = - £331.88 which is the balance they gave.

But that money went into my bank account not off my bill

@Graphista The payment should have been credited to your energy account first before being debited again then. Can you see it being credited on your list of payments on your energy bill before it was refunded?

The refunds are listed on my bill it's under "you paid us" bit on my post at 1203 hrs

I am genuinely thick on this kinda thing so

So I don't understand what you mean about

credited to your energy account first before being debited again then

I can only see that reference on the bill. When I am home would it be easier if I screenshot & post the bill obscuring personal info ? It's online/app

Although the energy company sent the money to your bank account it should have been added as a credit to your energy account first so you should see the £66/67 being added to your account before being refunded to you.

It might be on a different page of your bill

Now in debit £181.88 as WHD has been applied.

Can't see refunds added as credit to my account anywhere very confused about this.

Applied to have DD reduced to £117 on app which said 2 days but it's still showing as £146 which I will REALLY struggle to pay.

If I speak to them what is best to say to them and can I possibly get them to reduce DD with the reduction of energy use if I submit another reading to "prove" this in a week/fortnight/month?

Turn off your heating at night. Surely. That’s the first thing that must change. We have no heating on at night ever. It is cold when we wake up but it warms up. And even if it takes time to set the timer per day it is time well spent. Just have it off totally if you are in bed or not there unless it is an extended period of time.

Yes, I don't understand heating at night unless you have a baby, then I still would have the thermostat in my bedroom, not heat the house. Winter duvets are cheap and pay for themselves in no time.

IME keeping my thermostat "off" overnight and the putting the heating on at 21 in the daytime has always actually used more gas overall than maintaining an overnight temperature of 18 and then putting it up to 21 in the fay.

It's all completely dependent on your individual setup - property size, heat retention, insulation, how efficient and what type your heating system is.

Ok thank you @NewBootsAndRanty i stand corrected. It seems counterintuitive to me but I realise I am clearly wrong! Apologies. <wondering if the same would be true here- never ever tried it>

After it gets turned down from 21 at 10pm, the house temp doesn't actually fall to 18 for it to kick in again til about 5/6am at the moment.

It's my first winter of having to heat constantly (health conditions) and I've been watching my usage like a hawk.

MSE has it as a myth. www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/energy-saving-myths/#heatingon
May depend on your house I guess, certainly used more when I had mine on all day one weekend day during the cold snap in December, compared with my normal two hours on workdays that week. I am on a low income so need to keep my usage low.

"Is it cheaper to leave the heating on low all day or turn it on only when I need it?"

Considering I need it at minimum temps 24/7, it doesn't really fit my situation.
If I was leaving the house regularly/for sustained periods, I wouldn't need it on that much.

@Graphista
are you in receipt of any benefits? There's further cost of living support due from April onwards (3 x £300 between then and spring 2024) if you're on Universal Credit, Income-based Jobseekers Allowance, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support, Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit or Pension Credit

www.gov.uk/government/news/millions-of-low-income-households-to-get-new-cost-of-living-payments-from-spring-2023

^ inflation-linked benefits are also increasing in April by 10.1%, if that's at all relevant OP.

@NewBootsAndRanty I wasn't referring to your particular situation but more generally. If you need it at a minimum temp then it wouldn't make any difference if having it on for fewer hours was more cost efficient or not, if it has to be on then it has to be on. Though, if it isn't clicking on at night at all then I wouldn't actually call that having the heating on.

The OP says their physical disability is made worse by the cold, so I do worry they may need to be a little more careful than others of the impact on their health of staying warm enough and how they stay warm - eg heating the person may be fine for someone with mobility probs, it doesn't work for people with respiratory conditions.

Turn off your heating at night.

If the thermostat is really low doesn't that stop the heating coming on?

I'm private rented so I also have to be mindful of not allowing damp etc to set in need to maintain the property to a suitable standard, had emails from landlord about that (clearly sent to all tenants not just me)

Thermostat currently set at 10°c

@NewBootsAndRanty yes I'm on UC in LCWRA Group and PIP. Relieved to see there's more help coming but I do think it's not enough help. I don't think govt should line pockets of energy companies I honestly think it should be nationalised and more sensibly managed. The energy companies are claiming "it's costing us a lot to buy the energy we provide you" yet posting HUGE profits! Doesn't add up!!

I'm also aware benefits are increasing which will also help. I am also doing what I can to increase income and trying to find a way to work that can work around my health issues but it's far from easy!

I have mobility issues but also asthma which is made worse if I'm cold/in a cold environment so it's not as simple as "just don't heat your home" at all I wish it was!

Asthma of course another reason I can't risk damp, mould etc