What are people doing if they cannot afford energy increases?

[Needanewadventure2021]

I am one of those who will find it impossible to pay when I am out my fixed. My estimated increase as of now it's already more than I spend on food a month. So basically it's our food money gone. £89 going to £216 currently. Thank god I'm protected until may/June time.

I've cut everything I can. I'm a lone parent, low income household working full time.

I feel a failure.

I was thinking should I cancel my DD when my fixed ends but I've been told that will inflate prices higher? I will pay my bills. But I cant have the money taken.

What are people meant to do though if there money just isn't there to take? I've lived below the 'breadline' for years. It sucks but that's the way it has been. How the hell am I meant to absorb these costs when the money simply isn't there? Does this mean my credit will he thrashed? Its currently excellent and it worked endlessly to keep it that way despite my financial circumstances.

I have no life no luxuries. Its making me really really sad.

What do others plan on doing?

I don't know whether to fix with Octopus. It would be 36.31/kwh plus 25.08 standing charge for electricity and 9.71/kwh plus 26.10 standing charge for gas. I don't know what will happen in October but I would be paying above the cap for six months first, but then that's only the summer months where usage is low anyway. Anyone know if this is worthwhile?

Well, just hone and done it, about 15% higher than the price cap, so I guess I'll see if it was worth it in October!

Please write to your MP and go into as much detail as possible about the difficulty you have with the bills and the fact that you simply have no more savings to make.

They need to know how this affects people and they need to be pressured to take action to help people.

@Svara those rates sound really good considering. I know people with Ovo and Scottish Power and their fixed rates are near 50p per kwh and over 50p standing charge and gas around 16p per unit and over 40p standing charge

we were with together energy who have now gone bump. We already paid 300 a month on a fixed deal ( 2 disabled kids who need a warm house and create mountains of washing along with lots of medical equipment constantly in use ) . They v kindly offered me a fix at a DD of £750 a month !!
I thought it must be a mistake but no.Needless to say I declined their offer but as I say they are gone now and we are with British Gas . So our new rates will see us paying about 450 a month ago least ! it is madness and we have cut down on everything we can to save fuel but we cannot let our kids suffer. I dont know what they expect people to do.

@Needanewadventure2021
That's good, I just didn't want to ride it out and regret it should the variable go sky high in October. I worked it out and it will be 16% higher than cap (starting three weeks early) but then my summer usage should be very low anyway. Not long left of the cold weather!

I've heard the worst is yet to come so because your fix is very reasonable it makes sense.

For me though I am way behind on the current unit prices. My prices are set to more than double, possibly triple. In which case I simply cannot commit to any massive DD increases because I wont have any money left to feed us or get us to school and work

[quote Needanewadventure2021]@Bagelsandbrie I'm really sorry to hear your situation. And I agree there is a lack of understanding for those on low incomes. Pre covid I was living to within a few pounds a month. So you can imagine what the last 2 years have been like. Money is genuinely very tight.

I appreciate everyone's advice but I am a responsible adult. Always have been. Believe me when I say I have already done everything I can to help us, apart from finding ways to earn extra money. Asking family isn't an option as they are in the same boat too. My parents are very hard working but always been in low paid jobs. I've not been raised around money so no my family can't help me now, when they need the help as much as alot of others do. I'm massively worried for my parents who both have several health conditions and sit in a cold house and their fridge is empty.

I dont have any social life, I don't buy myself or my child anything. I buy no luxuries at home. We dont go out. My DS has additional needs too though his are undiagnosed right now and it's a battle to get him support.

I am mortgaged. Luckily I'm fixed into a 5 year deal and my mortgage is 50% less that what I'd be paying in rent. However you're right. There is so much wrong around the home that I cant afford to fix and its causing me real anxiety. I havent been able to afford to replace the fence since November!

We need to rant because realistically our options are limited and not immediate. If the money isn't there it simply isn't there[/quote]
Are you able to increase the term of your mortgage, therefore decreasing the monthly payment? The maximum age for some companies is 70, so it depends on your age and how many years you currently have remaining, but can be a quick and easy way of reducing your monthly payments.

@flapjackfairy my god I'd fall through the floor at thise prices

@Needanewadventure2021
Ours has just gone from £62 to £109 by fixing, but I'm planning on managing by cutting usage. Heating is three hours a day, just down to 15 degrees from 16 today. I'm lucky that it's just me and DS 15 and I feel the cold more than him. He regularly sits outside for hours with friends after school in this weather. I feel for those with younger children to keep warm .

If you don’t use much water, you could go on a water meter.

Agree re: sending meter readings

Also, I now open the oven door after use which heats the kitchen up (obviously you can't do this if you have very young dc or pets)

I've turned the central heating off today. I can put layers on....slippers, socks etc
But I won't wear grubby clothes or sleep on grubby sheets so I'll continue using my washing machine and tumble as normal

Once the weather gets better I'll use the washing line more

I can forsee not using the car as much...walking is good for you though (desperately looking for positives)

I'm already on a meter

Electric blanket? I don’t know how much they cost to run I admit, but the bed heats up fast and stays cosy for ages.
I can see people moving into one /two rooms and watching tv there, rather than heating the entire house.
Thermal underwear around the house/fleeces, hoodies, thick socks, fluffy boot slippers.
Insulate the loft if you can.
Check for any draughty windows/ doors.
Old fashioned carpet sweeper (no electric) rather than a vacuum.
Soak clothes before washing and use a faster cycle on a lower temperature.
If your able, move around, don’t let yourself get so cold you can’t warm up.

I use a hot water bottle, makes the bed so cosy

@frustratedashell

I use a hot water bottle, makes the bed so cosy

Yes, far more efficient to heat yourself than the air!

Go out for a walk if you can, feels really warm when you come back in!

@Needanewadventure2021

Thanks for this advice.

I did this too. I explained my situation and they kept payments as they are. It’s worth contacting your supplier. I’m with Eon. I checked Martin Lewis site and he mentioned that they probably would have sent an email about a fixed tariff (V11) for customers about to end. It’s not brilliant but it’s much better than what I could have faced in April and am protected for another year. I had to email them to ask them to go on to this tariff from 1st April. I take submit meter readings every month now as they were estimating way above usage. They want your money in their account earning interest. Make it clear in your email that you are on low income etc etc and why it is impossible for you to pay more monthly than is used.

These companies have gotten away with murder really.

@Fedupbuyer

5k a year?!!!!! I’m opening up my fireplace’s and I don’t think I will be alone!

Exactly,

@JesusMaryAndJosephAndTheWeeDon

Please write to your MP and go into as much detail as possible about the difficulty you have with the bills and the fact that you simply have no more savings to make.

They need to know how this affects people and they need to be pressured to take action to help people.

Do this. It isn’t going to put me on the breadline but I am writing on behalf of people who are. The energy companies made record profits. There should be a windfall tax and the proceeds should be used to subsidize the bills of the people who are worst off.

The direct debits are ridiculous. Last year my energy company built up a credit of almost £500! I cancelled my direct debit and I now send regular meter readings and pay for actual usage. The energy company didn’t like it and tried to say it was against their policy but as long as I am paying what I owe, they can’t do anything.

Low income - consider if you might qualify for UC, use Turn2Us benefits checker

Debts - get specialist help from CAB or StepChange, they may be able to help you cut down your repayments

We are with bulb (can’t really move from them due to suppliers not really taking on new people) we are a 2person house hold and bills are currently £107 however they want to put them up to £145 bear in mind we were paying £55 a month for gas and electric. However they did have an independent review company link on their website, which then took you through your finances and they look at what you can realistically afford a month based on outgoings and came back with the £107 figure and that got fed back to bulb. So might be an option for some people to look if their supplier has something similar.

Following.

I have no idea how people will manage. I’m worried despite being on a much better income than I once was.

Maybe the government can’t or shouldn’t do much about fuel prices issues but it’s high time they tackled the distorted housing market and low pay. There are too many factors colliding to make life difficult for huge numbers of people.

@Svara

I don't know whether to fix with Octopus. It would be 36.31/kwh plus 25.08 standing charge for electricity and 9.71/kwh plus 26.10 standing charge for gas. I don't know what will happen in October but I would be paying above the cap for six months first, but then that's only the summer months where usage is low anyway. Anyone know if this is worthwhile?

We just have electricity with Octopus and yesterday it was offering me a fix of 35p/kWh, which I was seriously considering (needed to do the maths) but it's jumped to 39p/kwh overnight.

We are with octopus and we aren’t fixing. I don’t know if we should or not but I guess we are just thinking the difference between the fix and variable isn’t worth it.