just a quuestion?

Mrs_Thrify

My electric is now 00.15 pence per KW for the first xxxwhatever and then goes down to 10 pence per kw.

Gas gas is 00.03 pence for the first 1, 143 kw and then drops to 00.02 .

My question is ... is stage 1 and 2 per month or per year for the total time on energy saver 8 with Scotish Power?
Thanks.

I think it is per year. Julie

KimYeovil

Figures for number of units charged at the more expensive tier 1 rate will be per year (or may be quoted per quarter.)

For many suppliers and tariffs this will be 900 kWh per annum or 225 kWh per quarter for electricity and 2680 kWh per annum or 670 kWh per quarter for gas edit: but in your case it is 1143 kWh per quarter and 4572 per annum.

Your actual bill will usually only be calculated each quarter - number of tier 1 units will be adjusted according to whether it is a 91 day, 92 day or whatever exact number of days your 'quarterly' bill covers.

So your extra penny costs £11.43 per quarter plus £0.02 x every kWh.

Your online account will probably just be calculated with a useage each quarter but your monthly direct debit will be credited each month, iyswim.

EG:
Jan: +£20e, +£40g -> balances £-20, £-40
Feb: +£20e, +£40g -> balances £-40, £-60
Mar: +£20e, +£40g -> balances £-60, £-100
MARCH BILL: You've used 225 units at tier 1 and blah-225 units at tier 2 costing £53, bleah and bleash costing £120 -> balances £-7, £20

Dave_save

Not sure where you get the 1143 kWh figure from. Was that on one of your bills?

The first 4572 kWh per annum are charged at the higher banding for gas

The first 900 kWh per annum are charged at the higher banding for electricity

In effect this is applied pro rata over a billing period. The easiest way to think of this is to divide the above figures by 365 to give you a daily charge at the higher rate for each.

DirectDebacle

Dave_save wrote: »

Not sure where you get the 1143 kWh figure from. Was that on one of your bills?

The first 4572 kWh per annum are charged at the higher banding for gas

The first 900 kWh per annum are charged at the higher banding for electricity

In effect this is applied pro rata over a billing period. The easiest way to think of this is to divide the above figures by 365 to give you a daily charge at the higher rate for each.

Not always. Suppliers differ. My supplier, S.P. charge 1143 at the higher rate (4572 p.a.) However if I do not use 1143 in any quarter the unused amount is not carried forward to the next qtr. So very light users of gas may not reach the 1143 in every qtr and will pay less than 4572 higher rate units in a year even though their total annual useage exceeds 4572.

The seasonal weighting applied by npower is intended to ensure that this type of low user pays for the full 4572 high rate units every year or as much of it as is possible.

Mrs_Thrify

Hiya, I wrote that figure down from when I talked to SP on the phone about 2 weeks ago. I also asked if I was on the best tarraf? I was not and got told to change from standered online to energy saver 8. I rejected the energy saver 9 as I did not want to be tied in till 2011. This one ties you in till December to stay with SP or pay a exit fee of £50.
They do ask for meter readings every 3 months.
I have started giving meter readings every week to watch the pennies. Last week was electric £11.82 and gas £8.20.
I just wanted to know when I could expect to be on the cheaper seconed rate?

Thankyou for all help.....Julie

markharding557

Low users should get a flat rate tariff

KimYeovil

markharding557 wrote: »

Low users should get a flat rate tariff

Low users should just choose the cheapest tariff, regardless of its structure.

1143 kWh is one of the quarterly tier 1 ceilings for gas tariffs (corresponds to 4572 pa).

KimYeovil

Julie, with Scottish Power's web site you can enter a reading and it will give you an estimate of the cost - you do not need to commit the reading to your account. 1143 per quarter is about 87 kWh per week or 12.5 per day. The web site will do the calculation for you - if you have used on average less than 12.5 kWhs per day every unit will cost the tier 1 price. From week to week the average can vary a lot. As I mentioned, most suppliers only do a final calculation to determine how much they add to your account once a quarter. How many units you use over that quarter will determine the breakdown.

markharding557

KimYeovil wrote: »

Low users should just choose the cheapest tariff, regardless of its structure.

1143 kWh is one of the quarterly tier 1 ceilings for gas tariffs (corresponds to 4572 pa).

That would be a flat rate tariff ie no high rate units because on a 2 rate tariff a low user pays all or most of their usage at high rate.

KimYeovil

markharding557 wrote: »

That would be a flat rate tariff ie no high rate units because on a 2 rate tariff a low user pays all or most of their usage at high rate.

Eh? Second paragraph was completely separate - nothing to do with flat rate tariffs. I still maintain, though, that people should choose the cheapest tariff. The only flat rate provider I know doesn't really provide a flat rate - they also subsidise different meter types and low-lifes who have not paid their bills. If they had the one flat rate base tariff plus a lot of add-ons and charges, now that would be equitable.

Mrs_Thrify

Hiya and thankyou.

So 1143 x 3p = £34.29

When they have got their £34.29 over the begining of 12 weeks I then go onto the 2 pence rate for gas.

I am using £7 or £8 per week as the ch is on for 4 hours per day.

£34.29 devided by £8 = roughly five weeks. The remaining 7 weeks will be on the lower 2 pence rate.

OR

does a little come off every day. £34.29 devided by 12 weeks = £2.85 per day at high rate and then dropping to the 2 pence rate. In which case my daily gas spend of £1.14 will never reach the low rate.

I think the second lot of sums is the corect answer as people have been talking about there being 1 rate for people that are low users.
In which case was the SP lady right to sugest the 2 tier energy saver 8 for me as being the best for my needs?
My gas use will go down at the end of winter when the CH is switched of and the hot water only remaining.
Our semi is very well insulated so that is why along with low useage of gas that the bills are low.