N Power Spreading warmth tariff

the_devil_made_me_do_it

Just wondering if anyone is on this tariff & if so do you find you have saved money or does it work out the same or more expensive than regular tariffs?

Also, how do you have to pay the bills? At the moment I pay on a regular payment card & get an information only bill every quarter.

the_devil_made_me_do_it

Emailed N Power asking about their gas/elec prices on spreading warmth tariff.

This is what they replied with:

Thank you for your email.
I would be happy to confirm the Spreading Warmth tariff unit rates for you. The below figures are in pence per kwh and are inclusive of vat. The information is based upon a Credit meter, if you have a Pre Payment (key or card) meter, please let me know as this would completely change the rates and the way in which you benefit from the tariff.
Gas
First 4572 units per year : 5.434
All gas used above this volume: 2.507
These figures could vary if you use an Independent Gas Transporter, if this applies to you it will be confirmed on your current gas bill/statement.
Electricity
First 728 units per year: 11.34
All electricity used above this volume: 10.79
These figures would vary if you use an Economy 7 (dual rate) meter, if this applies to you it will be confirmed on your current electricity bill/statement.

Then I questioned about the discount. They replied with:

Thank you for your reply

The lower tariff would start the day you were added so tariff would reduce as of that date.

Is this correct by others experiences with this tariff?

the_devil_made_me_do_it

Anyone on this tariff?

the_devil_made_me_do_it

Just bumping this up

undaunted

It exists but how widely Npower promote that fact I'm not so sure. Perhaps the Npower rep could tell us what numbers / % of customers & what % of those with ppm are ever offered / on this tarrif ?

nPower

Hi 'the devil made me do it'

Our Spreading Warmth Tariff is a special rate for those most in need and offers annual savings to our standard prices on average of over 20%. Access to the tariff is subject to set eligibility criteria:

• annual gross household income below £13,500 AND
• someone in the household is: 60 or over, disabled, chronically sick, or has a child under 16.

The tariff is available across all payment methods (including customers with prepayment meters). Customers paying via credit meters will pay a reduced unit rate compared to npower’s standard prices. If you pay for your energy via a prepayment meter, we'll send a quarterly discount.

Best Wishes
Sally

pleiades_2

Hi,

I phoned npower today to ask about the spreading warmth scheme. I'm in receipt of DLA and my sole income is from benefits. When they totalled up my income support, housing benefit and council tax benefit, it was just a few hundred pounds over the £13,500 limit so I was told I could not get this tariff.

What I don't understand is why my housing benefit and council tax benefit were taken into account. So if I was living in a different area and therefore my housing and council tax benefit were at a lower rate, I would be legible for the spreading warmth scheme. Basically I am being penalised because of where I live. If someone in the same situation as me lived in a property with half the rent and council tax, they wouldn't be any worse off than me because it would all get paid anyway. Therefore we would both be left with the same income from income tax.

So can I please ask, why is someone on benefits penalised for the amount of housing and council tax benefit when this is largely determined by the area they live in and does not therefore increase their income so that they are better off than others.

The gentleman I spoke to at Spreading Warmth also said that because I was getting extra premiums on my income support, this meant I had too much money. Right, so the more severely disabled you are (therefore receiving a higher income support rate), the less help you can get from npower?? I thought that the spreading warmth scheme was supposed to help those who were most vulnerable and in need. Obviously severely disabled people who live in a relatively expensive area for rent and council tax are not in need.

I really think npower should reconsider how they calculate total income when someone is on benefits as the current system is flawed and unfair.

undaunted

You could possibly try a look at the Energy Trust - independently administered by Charis - or Warm response as other options

http://www.npower.com/spreading_warmth/Content/npower-energy-trust/index.htm

skater_kat

just changed from sign online 18 to spreading warmth....

i now see that the price per unit for speading warmth is higher than the sign online tariff -



Gas First 4572 units per year : 5.434 All gas used above this volume: 2.507 (sign online 18 was 2.77 per unit)

Electricity First 728 units per year: 11.34 All electricity used above this volume: 10.79
(sign online 18 was 9.54 per unit)

could the npower rep please explain how spreading warmth is meant to reduce my bills if the prices are in fact higher?

cing0

What supply area is that ?

skater_kat wrote: »

just changed from sign online 18 to spreading warmth....

i now see that the price per unit for speading warmth is higher than the sign online tariff -



Gas First 4572 units per year : 5.434 All gas used above this volume: 2.507 (sign online 18 was 2.77 per unit)

Electricity First 728 units per year: 11.34 All electricity used above this volume: 10.79
(sign online 18 was 9.54 per unit)

could the npower rep please explain how spreading warmth is meant to reduce my bills if the prices are in fact higher?

skater_kat

sussex.


Npower rep anywhere?