Frightening power bills

I am expecting a huge rise in my dual fuel bills, my fixed rate deal ends next month and my current payment is quite low. It’s not helped having my sister staying with me for two weeks, despite my heating being on at 20 degrees from 8 am to 10 pm, she was still cold and kept adjusting it to 22 degrees! I only noticed when the sweat started pouring off me!

Now she has left, it’s gone down to 19 degrees which is fine for me. I don’t plan on reducing it as I have very bad arthritis and sitting in the cold makes it worse.

I might make a one off payment to clear the deficit when I get the next bill to reduce the monthly payment a bit. My problem is my monthly income from my two pensions is not quite enough to cover my expenditure so I do a drawdown from a private pension/investment fund a couple of times a year to top up my income. That works well for me and so far the interest from the fund more than covers all my needs so the fund is still growing. I will just have to factor energy cocos into my drawdown in future, something I have not had to do before.

However, I look forward to getting my state pension once I am 66 in October, not the full amount as I was contracted out of the second part being a teacher, but it might cover the increases in energy costs!

I feel very sorry for anyone who has to turn the heating down because of these increases, my family “ accuse” me of being a hot person and they feel cold in my house. The thought of only having the heating on for a few hours a day and turning down the thermostat to 17 or 18 degrees upsets me, no one should be forced to do that.

I have had problems with damp in this house when I had an inadequate boiler so don’t want it to reoccur by not heating the house enough. It’s a bungalow with a large roof area, which is poorly insulated due to the construction of a dormer bedroom many years ago. I’ve improved it as much as possible but it does make it expensive to heat.

Are these horrendous bills for gas or electricity or both? My mum just has electric heating, so if it’s electricity too, I need to warn her so she doesn’t get too much of a shock.

Germanshepherdsmum

You are absolutely right Rosie. It isn't the fault of the government or the energy suppliers that global oil prices have rocketed.
I don't pay for my fuel by direct debit even though that would produce a small saving, because in my experience from having done so years ago, the amount taken always favours the supplier who sits on a credit balance. We are all electric, read our meter every month and pay as soon as the bill comes through. We are with Ovo who we find very good.

I’m also with Ovo, and have a fixed rate until 2023, have just checked and gas up £ 5 this month, and am in credit. I do pay by DD as a single pensioner find this the safest way to make sure all my bills are paid. I also have a Hive thermostat which helps keep the temp well regulated. I use lots of layers if it becomes chilly, whilst heating off, and have a nice warm rug for the evenings.

Apparently you can also decide your DD amount.

Can someone explain WHY we're in this situation.Scotland produced 98.2 of our own energy on Sunday 2/1/22 we also supplied 49% of the energy used by Wales and 14% of the energy used by England .Of course England and Wales CHARGE us to add energy to the National grid so unlike other suppliers WE dont actually cost anything where the rest get paid to add their supply.
There is as far as I can see no "shortage" its an artificial shortage to ramp up profit .My bill has more than doubled from £160 a month for electricity it has gone up to over £400 ,haven't had the gas bill yet but fairly sure it will be the same ,a massive amount to pay for heat 'light and cooking

I have always paid bills quarterly. The money goes into a household account each month and fuel bill is paid by DD from that account each quarter.

I am unable to compare fuel bills at the moment as we had an extension built last year, that majorly upgraded the insulation of another extension it is part of and replaced all the single-glazed windows with double-glazed and are not sure what effect that will have on our fuel consumption.

Renewed insulation would help where I am as on a windy day the voiles are blowing merrily on the patio doors. I do have heavy curtains as well which are obviously drawn when it gets dark, but I can feel a force 8 gale whizzing around my ankles

But in this very forum Gisela Stewart told us that one brexit bonus would be cheaper energy bills

DH calculated our bills for the whole of 2020 and the total for gas and electricity was slightly less than for 2019 despite the fact that we didn't go anywhere at all last year.

The company therefore owe us which will offset the rise we expect, especially in the next few cold months.

If prices go up so much many of us will be spending the winter under our warm duvets. At least we are safe from covid there.

My son has decided to have solar panels fitted. He has a large area of roof that is suitable and he reckons that on prices due from April, he will have paid for them within 4 years.

He has an all electric car as well as working from home.
He will store unused fuel in a battery rather than sell it back to the grid. He has other plans to save on fuel use but not sure what they are. I think night tariff is one of them.

*Ellan Vannin, talk to your energy supplier or to Age UK, there are quite a lot of schemes around that will draught exclude your flat and provide other insulation for free, even if the flat is rented. Make it clear that you are old and vulnerable.

We have had an extension built, which meant our old ill fitting back door has been replaced and a redundant ventilator for a free-standing boiler, removed decades ago, went. Apart from any other benefits, the joy of not having the house swept by drafts and the no longer hearing a constant whining noise when the wind blows is immeasurable.

I have a smart meter so I am aware of gas and electricity bills monthly. I pay £98 a month which is more than 1/3 I was paying a few months ago.

I have had an air fryer for almost a month and since buying it I have used my double oven once during that time. For the first time in years, my gas bill was higher than my electricity and I am certain not using the double oven helped. It used to be in use almost daily.

I dread to think what the bills will be like in a year's time.

Just checked my last months bill (early Nov-earlyDec) up £10 from the previous year. Heating is on from 6:30-8:30, then 4:30-9:30, but I flick it on if it’s cold and I’m in, next couple of months will tell.

my monthly dual fuel payment to octopus was £58. I asked for it to be increased to £70 which I think will be enough over a year. This is for 4 bed detached house, single occupant, here all day

Blimey! You must be cold!

Germanshepherdsmum, I pay by DD (I really don't like them, though) just to get the cheapest rate. My DD is just £5 a month and they can't ever increase it, as I always pay the amount owing monthly.

I just read the meters and pay the bills every month - works for me.

Ellanvanin, I knew people who refused to pay their Poll Tax and promptly had their wages arrested. I would not advise not paying. Write to your MP instead.

Karmalady, I’m properly gobsmacked. You either are very warm blooded or your house is super insulated. I am single, 4 bed detached house and I pay £190 per month. I’m really interested in knowing your secret..

We live in a large but well insulated house and the dual bill was about £150 pm on average last year. Gas was half the price of the electricity even though we have gas heating, hot water and gas hob.

MayBee70

But in this very forum Gisela Stewart told us that one brexit bonus would be cheaper energy bills

She didn’t reckon on world prices shooting up quite like this.
Nobody did.
Although energy prices are nothing to do with any governments, there are things they can do to help the lower paid, and hopefully they will do.

Well, maybe, just maybe, things like that should have been taken into account? Instead of promising this fictitious land of milk, honey and blue passports….

From February the fuel company want to increase our monthly direct debit to £483!!! We live in a 1930s semi.

£483???? Whaaat??? Good grief! That's the same as a monthly mortgage or rent!
I'm in an ordinary 1970's 3 bed semi and pay £45 dual fuel each month. I've been asked to increase it to £63 per month but refused because I'm £250 in credit. Now I'm wondering if that will be enough to tide me over the winter.

The last 2 posts, let me know that paying bills quarterly is something to cling to. No arguments, I am just billed for the fuel I have consumed.