British Gas Essentials

P-J-D_2

If like me you're stuck with British Gas and have a prepayment meter and receive benefits, you should be eligible for the "Essentials tariff". I agreed to be put on this tariff, but then I got to wondering how much it will save me?? I figured I'd do some maths. Bit tedious.. skip to the end for the short answer.. :rotfl:

Prepayment meter standard tariff: *

Tier 1 : 9.084p per kWh
Tier 2 : 3.814p per kWh

Essentials tariff:

Tier 1 : 4.402p per kWh
Tier 2 : 2.403p per kWh

Prepayment Tier 2 kicks in when you've consumed 2680 kWh "per annum" (dunno when that starts...) Essentials Tier 2 after you've consumed 12.5 kWh per day.

Didn't know which tariff I'm on so I took some readings to work it out.

5pm ... £8.44 credit.. 799.202 cm3
10pm ... £7.88 credit.. 800.506 cm3

1.304 cm3 gas used in 5hrs, cost 56p. I used this formula to convert cm3 into kWh (it's on the back of most bills):

cm3 gas used (1.304) x volume conversion factor (1.022640) x calorific value (39.4) /
kilowatt hour conversion factor (3.6)

The result is 14.595 kWh. Wow.. that seems like a lot!

[Btw you can get your local calorific value from http://www.nationalgrid.com/uk/ukgasdata/services/calval/calval.asp)

So... 56p / 14.595 kWh = 3.84p per Kwh. I must be on Tier 2 of the Prepayment tariff ! It's close enough to 3.814p. Now if only the box showed this on its display...

Anyway.. here's a graph I knocked up to show how much you can save. Hope you find it useful.








* http://www.britishgas.co.uk/pdf/Standard%20gas%20prices.pdf

Joyful

Sorry but you are now out of date. The original essential tariff stopped last week. Do a search and you will find all the details.

P-J-D_2

Joyful wrote: »

Sorry but you are now out of date. The original essential tariff stopped last week. Do a search and you will find all the details.

I don't know what you mean? Out of date how? I've searched and I can't find anything.

The British Gas essentials number still works 0800 072 7100

Please explain......

Joyful

It is now called Essentials Advanced ( I believe) Same price for fuel as standard prices but free insulation and £50 off bill once fitted. It only changed on Friday.

P-J-D_2

Don't know where you got that idea from.. just been on the phone with BG to discuss my account and asked them.. they say the Essentials Tariff is still available!

Joyful

I promise you the original Essential Tariff is no longer available. I work there.

mac666_2

about 3 weeks ago a nice man from British Gas called around and we signed up british gas. he tells me all about Essentials and if we ring in about 5 / 6 week we could go on the tariff.
ok all cool until i read no more Essentials :mad:

so i've called British Gas today (mon) and thay have told me i can still get on the tarirff

if anyone else is in the same boat, give them a call.

mac


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P-J-D_2

I think it's also backdated to pre-aprils 30% increase.. or something like that. Certainly the Essentials tariff price is static until next april.

I think the fairest deal is with EquiGas, but I'm tied to BG until I clear my debt with them. As a discharged ex-bankrupt, I may have difficulty getting rid of the prepayment meter, as I would have to pass a credit check for another form of payment. I'm angry about that because when I agreed to have the meter they said I could just have it removed when I'd cleared my debt.. not true. They also said the rate was the same as for regular customers.. so there's nothing to lose. I've been shafted basically...

Joyful

As of 2 weeks ago this was changed. Previously to that the prices were fixed to pre July increase until April 2009. It has now changed to free insulation and £50 when the work has been carried out in the home. Anyone who signed up prior to 2 weeks ago has their price protected. Those in progress of changing supply where it was noted should be placed on the original Essentials.

So yes people are still saying that you can go on Essentials but it is the new Essentials Advance. Hope this clarifies things.



Just found this http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1195307

P-J-D_2

Hmmm... OK Joyful thanks for the clarification.. apologies for creating confusion I was given conflicting information from British Gas.

lindos90

My mum was recently contacted by british gas about essential user tariff.

Looking at this thread looks like shes missed the boat for the time being, as they have replaces it with the 'insulation' thing....but just found this link.

Looks like the insulation offer is on until the spring, when they will be replacing it with the essential user tariff again (probably a higher tariff than the one thats just closed though!!)

http://uk.biz.yahoo.com/04112008/404/help-energy-bills.html


quote from the link...British GasNo current tariff available. Essentials tariff replaced by 'Essentials Advance' package. Tariff due back next spring.