Age Concern, Electric, Powergen

oap

can anyboy help me, reading Martin's message to check my electricity charges, I tried today, and am so confused.

This is my conversation with Powergen Age Concern. " Hello, please could you tell me what I pay per unit for my electricity, we do not have any gas at all' I cannot understand my electricity bill" "Yes they said your first 900 units of electricity per year are 14.9p per unit, then after that 9.48p per unit, no standing charge."

Me - well if you have dropped the standing charge,and added it to the units, how do I check my unit prices with other companies, ?

Why have you stopped doing the standing charge,?

No conclusive answer,only to say will you please read your meter now, as we are due to send you a bill, oh are you not going to read the meter this time then, well they will do, but may estimate it, does that mean you are not coming then, oh yes, but please read it now!!!! So we did!!!!! however, some time ago, I was told that the reason for dropping the standing charge is that if you are away from home, you are not paying a standing charge!! You just pay as you go.

I feel so cross tonight, how the heck do I compare the prices, or are others not charging standing charges either?

Am I THICK, AM I MISSING SOMETHING?

Maybe this should be on the silver savers page, but thought it best in utilities in case somebody has had experience of this, thanks a million for any help , regards oap

Cardew

The standard charge has been replaced by charging a premium on the first 900 units(kWh) per year. This premium rate is called Tier 1 charge and you pay for 225 units per quarter(or pro-rata) at this rate and the rest at Tier 2 which is a lower rate.

If you use all the 225 units per quarter(which you would being all electric) a Standing Charge or increased Tier 1 rate work out about the same; so you have not been disadvantaged. The only people who would gain are those who didn't use the full 225 units in a quarter; perhaps a little used annex or a holiday home.

To use any of the comparison networks simply look a full year's bills(or check the meter) and add up all the kWh and enter these in the comparison network site - try not to use the amount you pay as this can give misleading results.

Most companies use the Tier1/Tier2 tariff. However a notable exception is a very good company called Ebico who charge a flat rate for every unit(kWh) with no standing charge, and their prices are very competitive.

From the prices you quote you are not on an Economy 7 tariff which would complicate matters.

oap

Thanks Cardew, we pay £35 per month standing order, this went over by £35 last year and we just paid it up front to clear it. Still pay £35 per month, however, we live in an area with no natural gas, so we are on oil central heating and you know how much that costs, we are in a four bedroom dormer bungalow,two of us and the dog!! Very careful in the winter with the oil and do not use it in the summer, just have the immersion heater going for one hour morning and one hour evening, showers, computer!! tv and electric cooker with gas hob (calor gas)

If I can do it will copy my bill and put on here (without address etc,!!)

Man thanks, I am wondering if because its Age Concern Powergen it is slightly different. Cheers oap

Cardew

To be of any help we will need your postcode as electricity prices vary according to the area of the country in which you live.

To give accurate predictions you need to state the meter readings over a period of a year or the total units(kWh) from 4 consecutive bills.

oap

Will do a years survey, unfortunately threw out last years number of units, just kept what we had paid in our family log, so will add up when we come to the end of this year and go into it thoroughly. After doing a customer reading, and having the account sent,, they then turned up the other day to read the meter, hmmmmm. Regards and thanks for the help, oap

Cardew

oap wrote:

Will do a years survey, unfortunately threw out last years number of units, just kept what we had paid in our family log, so will add up when we come to the end of this year and go into it thoroughly. After doing a customer reading, and having the account sent,, they then turned up the other day to read the meter, hmmmmm. Regards and thanks for the help, oap

You can always ring Powergen and ask them how many units you used in the last year, saves having to wait a year.

Gal

Cardew wrote:

You can always ring Powergen and ask them how many units you used in the last year, saves having to wait a year.

This is true whoever you speak to should be able to do this.