Well, I have Finally Gone With British Gas...

Popperwell

After three or more attempts at using comparison sites and talking to call staff at EDF, NPower and BG...I have signed to BG. All of them are too expensive for me and I will as the income decreases and changes in benefits kick in just have to use both less.

It is no better if you are working as best part of the population is on low wages and still having to try and ask for help from the state.

That's for another time...I will continue to eat less but portion food so it goes further, eat mainly cold meals or look for ways to cook using less energy...wear warm clothes from the charity shop, use fleeces, PJ's and dressing gowns. Dive under te duvet. I can do only so much...increases in rent, CT and the introduction of a BT is out of my hands. Reductions in HB, scrapping or reduction of other help is again, out of my hands...out of most of our control...

As is the constant increase in utility charges. All those I have talked to at the main energy suppliers at the call centre admit that even they cannot afford to use what they are selling and are looking at ways to cut their own bills...anything you do they are too.

But then having health problems they tell me to use the gas and electric and not let my health suffer, where is the money going to come from? If things stayed as they are I might be able to manage but none of us know that it will and it's highly unlikely...

I nearly signed up to EDF's Blue Promise(prices frozen until late 2013)got cold feet. Signed up for duel fuel with NPower even opened an account and arranged DD, doing it online(paperless billing)they gave me £45 discount and £100 at the end of the year...even they were charging standing charges on the new tariff they'd transferred me to.

Then British gas came back offering me...£125 for coming back to them, £125 for taking both services from them if I stay for the year and they've waived standing charges(another£72 if I remain with them)and I think I get £30 for doing DD. So if I can keep paying my bills and stay for the year I am £352 better off before I do anything.

And that is still £202 better off than what NPower were offering(I think?)BG said that they are 11% cheaper on electric than NPower but slighter dearer on the gas. But it evens out and as I use more electric I probably prefer cheaper electric.

You pay so much for the units of gas and electric used and if you go over that amount each month then the remaining units become cheaper...so perhaps that may mean that I can keep the gas and electric on longer or if I still do not use it much I can still keep the bills down...

Have I done the right thing? I have no idea...I don't think my prices are frozen so if they decide to put them up, I'll be caught. I am on a standard tariff...and after the recent changes with the price hike at the second largest supplier I expect everyone else will follow...

I doubt I can change again and I'll have to stick with someone and I just get more confused and believe eventually they are all alike and any savings are temporary. I certainly could not be any more thrifty than I am and my only entertainment is the internet, without that I'd only have a radio and how boring would that be even though I love radio...

If anyone has ideas or advice or just stories of what to expect good or bad I'd appreciate them...

penrhyn

OK on British Gas but why the standard tariff and not either the online or fixed?

macman

The calculation is quite simple. Take the annual cost of BG Standard from any comp site and deduct the incentives you've been offered (£125). If that cost is more than EDF's Blue+Price Promise then you are going to be worse off-unless you think that BG's Standard tariff is going to come down overall before April 2014-I don't.
Given that you've clearly done some research, I'm puzzled as to why you have signed up to the most expensive BG tariff of all?
Incidentally, did you clarify with BG when you will get the £125 credited? It may not be until you have completed 1 year with them, which effectively locks you into Standard (which would otherwise have no lock in).

Popperwell

penrhyn wrote: »

OK on British Gas but why the standard tariff and not either the online or fixed?

I have been told by everyone this is the best offer they can do for my circumstances and they never offered an online/fixed tariff. But I am doing my account online and paperless...and was on the phone for ages explaining my situation...

macman wrote: »

The calculation is quite simple. Take the annual cost of BG Standard from any comp site and deduct the incentives you've been offered (£125). If that cost is more than EDF's Blue+Price Promise then you are going to be worse off-unless you think that BG's Standard tariff is going to come down overall before April 2014-I don't.
Given that you've clearly done some research, I'm puzzled as to why you have signed up to the most expensive BG tariff of all?
Incidentally, did you clarify with BG when you will get the £125 credited? It may not be until you have completed 1 year with them, which effectively locks you into Standard (which would otherwise have no lock in).

They said it was the best tariff for me and all the credits will come at the end of the year...

£125 for coming back to BG, £125 at the end of the year if I stay with them, waived standing charges(£72 annually)and I think £30 for going DD...

NPower had taken over my gas supply and I was awaiting my final BG bill to pay off anything still owed. And the first electric bill with the new duel fuel account with NPower was due to be taken at the end of September. Now I have a month with Npower doing both and start with BG in October...

macman

Well it's clearly not the best BG tariff, because it's their most expensive,
So you are saying that you will get an immediate £125 credit (exactly when?), and then a further £125 after 12m? That seems too good to be true-do you have this in writing?
It's more likely that they've put you on a NSC tariff than actually waived the SC's, if so that will make litle difference unless you are a very low user.

penrhyn

As above this 'deal' sounds too good to be true. Get it in writing.
In any event I guess you could switch to the online tarriff without penalty.
Not sure what your special cirumstances are?

Popperwell

macman wrote: »

Well it's clearly not the best BG tariff, because it's their most expensive,
So you are saying that you will get an immediate £125 credit (exactly when?), and then a further £125 after 12m? That seems too good to be true-do you have this in writing?
It's more likely that they've put you on a NSC tariff than actually waived the SC's, if so that will make litle difference unless you are a very low user.

It was said to me on the phone and I am a low user but might use it more if the prices are good and my income/benefit entitlements don't change greatly...I wonder if I should have stayed put with NPower but I don't believe that their prices were fixed...

I don't know if its worth phoning BG again but to say what? I just get more confused and i must admit the comparison sites made my deciding worse.

macman

You really need to decide if you want to fix or go variable. All the major suppliers offer both.
I'd be very dubious of an offer that attractive on the basis of a phone call only. Golden hello's are commonplace, but I don't see how any call centre drone can conjure up a tariff that removes all the standing charges?

Popperwell

Thanks I may have to call them again in the next day or two but I continue to use it sparingly there's probably little difference between any of them...

macman

Not so, some tariffs are noticeably cheaper for very low users, Ebico being the obvious one.
But why theorise about it when, armed with your annual kWh figures, a comp site can find you the cheapest tariff in a couple of minutes. then switch using a cashback site.

Popperwell

Macman,
I explained the situation to a person at a comparison site called Energy choices and because of what I told him(as I have on this thread)he could not advise me any further but their online website suggests that First:Utility is the one for me? And it's a saved fixed price until December 2013.

I just don't know how many times I can keep messing the suppliers around but I did get out of the advisor that standard tariff is not the best idea and as has been suggested I should get what I have been offered sent to me in writing...

So I'm as confused as ever.

I could phone another comparison site but they will probably say they cannot advise me either becuase I am in the middle of sorting out between two compnaies...