Help! Can't afford to top up prepay this winter

sammeh182

Hi all, we are in a nightmare situation. We live in a rented flat, from a housing association which is all electric, and we have a top up the meter which we pay back a very large debt at £3.50 a week. The cold weather is now here and we have had to turn on one of the storage heaters (the other is broken and I don't think we will be getting it fixed anytime soon seeing as the cost of the smaller one seems to be absolutely shocking, We can't have baths as we can't afford to heat up the water every day so we go to my mil's for showers. I am terrified to do absolutely anything as now the cold weather is here we seem to be using £7 a day. We are on economy 7 but the problem with that is my partner is currently unwell and isn't working, therefore, he is in all day too. We have no spare money to buy more efficent heaters (and we couldnt have them on really anyway due to the very expensive day rates because of economy 7) and we cant afford to buy things to cover the windows or anything so we feel very stuck, I suffer with severe anxiety and depression and I am very sorry for ranting!

[Deleted User]

You can switch suppliers with prepayment meter debts. I think it is up to £500 debt s you are allowed to change supplier.
Scroll through the screens ( with key inserted if you want to see how much debt is remaining on screen "T " with screen "S " showing the weekly repay rate. £3.50 a week is the lowest so possible the total debt was nt too high as they can go up to £16 a week for big debts
You can see your day/night total kwhs used on the meter on screens H , day and J night.
You will need these two totals to input into a comparison website to get the to see who offers the best rates..
Personally I find the best site to use is UKpower/Uswitch for its simplicity
I have just had a look at various prepay rates and the day rate was horrendous with BG ( 19p kwh in my area )but suppliers such as Ebico were down to 14.97 p day/6.59p/night. Switching suppliers will help a lot.
You do need to input the yearly kwh usage for day and night to get an accurate idea of prices. Current Safeguard/energy caps are now fixed until April for prepay meters

jk0

I'd get the other storage heater repaired IIWY.


Otherwise you are going to use expensive day rate electricity to make up for its absence.

Blackpool_Saver

Have you applied for the warm home discount, and have you looked at applying for a grant to pay off the debt?

SwanJon

Depending on your supplier, it might be worth seeing if they are linked with a charity that can help with the debt. Charis Grant run a few of them.
https://www.lets-talk.online/AllSchemes.html


It won't help with the cost of use (as above, do a comparison and try to avoid using daytime heating), but it will clear the balance and if it is over £500 open up the ability to switch.

wavelets

sammeh182 wrote: »

Hi all, we are in a nightmare situation. We live in a rented flat, from a housing association which is all electric, and we have a top up the meter which we pay back a very large debt at £3.50 a week. The cold weather is now here and we have had to turn on one of the storage heaters (the other is broken and I don't think we will be getting it fixed anytime soon seeing as the cost of the smaller one seems to be absolutely shocking, We can't have baths as we can't afford to heat up the water every day so we go to my mil's for showers. I am terrified to do absolutely anything as now the cold weather is here we seem to be using £7 a day. We are on economy 7 but the problem with that is my partner is currently unwell and isn't working, therefore, he is in all day too. We have no spare money to buy more efficent heaters (and we couldnt have them on really anyway due to the very expensive day rates because of economy 7) and we cant afford to buy things to cover the windows or anything so we feel very stuck, I suffer with severe anxiety and depression and I am very sorry for ranting!

Have you informed your housing association about the faulty heater?
It's their responsibilty to repair it (assuming there is no suggestion it was deliberately damaged by you or those you allowed access to it) - you won't have to pay.

Please visit the debt free wannabe board for advice on your financial situation
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.php?f=76

Cardew

sammeh182 wrote: »

We have no spare money to buy more efficent heaters (and we couldnt have them on really anyway due to the very expensive day rates because of economy 7)

There is no such thing as 'more efficient heaters'.

Ilona

Hi. I am wondering how long you have been in the flat. If it was several months anything up to a year, there would have been warmer weather when the heating was not required. During the summer it is best to put money aside and build up a pot to cushion the blow when the cold weather sets in and the heating needs to go on. I pay quarterly, it's lovely to get cheap bills in the summer, but I know I have to pay more in the winter, so I save enough to cover it.

A few years ago when I was very skint, my central heating/hot water packed up and I couldn't afford to get it fixed. I was without hot water and heat for three years until I got a Warm Front grant to cover the costs of new parts and repairs.

I managed over those three years by wearing my outdoor clothes indoors, putting a woolly hat on, wearing fingerless gloves, Putting a long fleecy dressing gown over my clothes, which I am still wearing right now. Moving about is the best way to stay warm, get up every hour and walk about, plenty of hot drinks. Can your partner go out every day for a walk? I do, I walk three miles every day around my village, it warms me up.

I can keep my body clean with two bowls of hot water, even went on national TV to show how I did it. Hunt for Britain's Tightest Person, that's me.

Is there anything else in your budget that you can cut back on? You could post your statement of Affairs on the Debt Free Wannabe Forum and people will make suggestions where you might make savings. Paying for utilities is just a small part of your outgoings, a bigger picture is needed to help you, like what else do you spend your money on. There is a way forward. Other people will have more solutions.

ilona

Owain_Moneysaver

Plastic film 'double glazing' is surprisingly effective if you have draughty single-glazed windows.

Electric blankets or heated throws are very cheap to run.

worried_jim

Owain_Moneysaver wrote: »

Plastic film 'double glazing' is surprisingly effective if you have draughty single-glazed windows.

It totally is! I've just fitted this again this morning. Done for the last five years and the difference is amazing! No more condensation on the glass and no draughty gaps. Once you've heated a room it stays warm longer and in the day if the sun is shining through the window it really warms the room up. £14 from Amazon and I've done three bedroom windows and the lounge.