Energy Suppliers and winter fuel help

jugglebox

I moved home a few months ago and looked on comparison sites such as this for the best gas & electricity package. I tried to go to First Utility but got no joy from them. One response was they do not cover my area. However I have never received any feedback from them over this.
The next best was Ovo Energy so I am with them now.
Last week I received a letter from the Government saying I could get £140 towards my electricity. I telephoned as requested and they tell me that Ovo are not part of the scheme as they are too small.
I received this help last year on my previous home and supplier.
I am retired and am eligible for this but cannot get it now.
I think it is worth noting this could be looked in to by the comparison sites when they look into energy providers and best deals. I will not be any better off now with Ovo. I will incur a penalty if I change now.
Perhaps this could be taken in to consideration. After all retired people are in need of the best possible offers as anyone else.

Nada666

If you qualify for automatic eligibility (ie, receive Pension Credit) then you do not need any further help in the first place. You should be pleased that you are contributing so that everyone can benefit from a cheaper price

The whole thing is a sop and a scam and you should welcome suppliers that do not participate in taxing the poor to give to a wealthier tranch of the not-so-poor.

The list of suppliers is available on the gov.uk site - easier for those who hope to claim to look there than to clutter up comparison sites.

Joyful

Nada666. That is a bit strong and incorrect. If people get Pension credit it is because the government says they do not have enough to live on so any help is good. You seem to be bitter about people getting help.

jugglebox- The only companies that are obliged to take part in the Warm Home discount are those with over 250,000 customers. You may find some smaller ones that choose to come onboard but as Nada666 mentioned, the companies taking part are on the government website.

It is also the reason the smaller companies can charge less as they do not have the same obligations of the larger companies.

jugglebox

I did not know the help depended on pension credit or that there is information on the government website. As my pc is some £4.50 pw on top of state pension I am not as well off as nada666 seems to assume. Lifetime circumstances meant I was unable to take out a private pension or even life insurance.
I just thought it worth being mentioned on the listings of those suppliers when comparisons are made.

SwanJon

I'm not as close to this as others, so happy to be corrected, but it will depend on when you joined Ovo and who you were with before.

There was a qualifying date, and if you have been identified by the government rather than the supplier then it is who you were with on that date that will make the payment.
I don't know what the date was this year - sorry.

Joyful

SwanJon

The date for Core customers is 12 th July 2014. If someone was on supply with a company taking part in the scheme on that date, they will get paid from that company even if they have moved suppliers.

For Broader customers they have to still be on supply with the original company.

moremore

I get my bill every 3 months and most have been estimated. Done a meter reading and from last estimate reading bill says 67682 units and done reading it says 68571, apparently its 13.85 per unit, how much will I have to pay on next bill, useless at figures.

Fruit_and_Nut_Case

moremore wrote: »

I get my bill every 3 months and most have been estimated. Done a meter reading and from last estimate reading bill says 67682 units and done reading it says 68571, apparently its 13.85 per unit, how much will I have to pay on next bill, useless at figures.

Better if you started your own thread. This one is for Energy Suppliers and winter fuel help

Anyway, in addition to your price per unit you need to tell us your daily standing charge, if any.

matelodave

moremore wrote: »

I get my bill every 3 months and most have been estimated. Done a meter reading and from last estimate reading bill says 67682 units and done reading it says 68571, apparently its 13.85 per unit, how much will I have to pay on next bill, useless at figures.

If your last bill was an estimate and you didn't correct it then it's anyone's guess what your bill might be.

If it was near enough correct then you'll have used about 900kwh at13.85p/kwh=£123.13 plus whatever your standing charges are, say 20p/day for 92 days = £18 so somewhere around £140.

However if your last bill was under estimated then it could be a hell of a lot more and if it was over estimated then it might be a bit less. If you've had several under estimated bills then be prepared for a very nasty shock.

You must get estimated bills corrected otherwise underestimates can accumulate and when the meter is actually read you can end up owing £100's or even £1000's