Electricity

The actual charges, using readings not estimates and not just what is taken as direct debit, are the only way to know how much your electricity is costing you.

My DD with Octopus went up from £56 to £96 - I used the online facility to reduce it back down to £50.

The DD amounts are only an estimate of what they think you will use and energy costs, you re not obliged to keep to that amount. Of course you take the risk of being in deficit then having to pay a one-off amount, but my view is it's better in my account than theirs.

I don't want to build up a credit - I'm surprised when someone says with pride that they're in credit to a large amount. The energy companies have millions of £s of their customers' money!

Got an email from Octopus yesterday - my DD is going up from £160 to £250 in March. I can afford it, but really at a loss to understand such an increase.

My fixed tariff, dual fuel, finished end January, I was paying £91 a month. The new figure seems about £134, but this month they still took old amount.

I had an e Mail the other day saying from April 1st, it will increase by nearly £1000 annually, about £217 a month!

Aargh!!!

well at least we haven't got missiles raining down destruction on us in our beds at 3am, and on our loved ones.
some shenanigans.
not the word i would use.

Yes, the price of oil has risen and will continue to rise as a result of the Russia/Ukraine situation.

Indeed so - I too am lucky enough to be able to pay, but just do not know what families on low incomes and benefits are going to do - they must be worried sick.