Disabled and no electric tonight

Ratita_Presumida

I am so upset......... today I topped up my prepayment card for electric. I had 45p remaining on my emergency electric. So I used my last £5 to top up. This should of paid off the emergency electric used leaving 45p.+ £5 emergency credit available till Monday when I receive ESA
 Tonight 8.15pm my electric ran out. I’m disabled, have a chronic illness, and a stoma bag

SSE have no help lines after 6pm on weekends although there is an emergency number. I rang and explained my situation. I am aware there is such a thing as “friendly credit”available after 8pm, newer models of the prepayment meter can activate the £2 to cover and not the older ones. Mine being the newer model didn’t work so something is wrong with it. 

The lady from SSE told me, even though I am disabled there is nothing they can do till 9pm She was unable to tell me why my £5 credit never cleared and why the friendly credit didn’t activate 

 The thing is that I have an ileostomy and I have to visit the bathroom throughout the night changing my pouch. I have no torch, 15% battery on my phone so unable to use for light

I am beyond words. No way can I empty my pouch without seeing what I’m doing. I can’t make a drink, My freezer will start to defrost. I’ve no money till Monday. How can I call SSE tomorrow with no power,  I live alone with family 80 miles away. 

What are the laws for no electric at night with no assistance nor help from SSE after 6pm For a disabled person. It’s degrading having to face dealing with my ileostomy in the dark

Any advice on leaving a disabled person with no electric at night. 

Thank you 

welshmoneylover

The meter shouldn’t go off until Monday.
your freezer won’t start defrosting for at least 24 hours.
if things are that dire, can you go and knock on a neighbours door and ask them to top up a payment card for you at a shop? 

welshmoneylover

I know it’s easier said than done but it’s not wise to allow the ppm to run so low on credit this time of year.
hope you get it sorted out.

Ratita_Presumida

welshmoneylover said:

I know it’s easier said than done but it’s not wise to allow the ppm to run so low on credit this time of year.
hope you get it sorted out.

I totally agree but being unable to work and struggling with keeping my head above water I thought I had it covered regarding electric. If I had the funds believe me I wouldn’t be covering just the emergency power I had used. I had my career taken from me due to an illness so life has been a struggle. 

tacpot12

I'm sorry you have had to go through this, and I'm not sure if there is any law against being cut-off in this way. I don't think there is, but you can ask SSE to remove the pre-payment meter and install a credit meter. If they refuse to do this, you can complain to the supplier that you’ve been discriminated against contrary to the Equality Act.

It would make sense to get some candles in. Perhaps your neighbours have a couple they can give you? 

I would check that you are receiving all the benefits you are entitled to. Give your local Citizens Advice a call, or check at EntitledTo.co.uk or Turn2Us.org.uk

worrywart_3

I’m sorry I hope you sort something, have you applied for the warm home grant? It’s £140 towards your electric? Citizens advice also have emergency payments  available for heating and electric. Are you claiming disability and everything your entitled to ? 

Browntoa

No help now but make sure you register as vulnerable with SSE

https://sse.co.uk/help/accessibility/priority-services-register

MWT

Ratita_Presumida said:

The lady from SSE told me, even though I am disabled there is nothing they can do till 9pm She was unable to tell me why my £5 credit never cleared and why the friendly credit didn’t activate

This is of no help at the moment I'm afraid, but with a lot of suppliers, when you start using the 'Emergency Credit' they will stop collecting the daily standing charge and any debt repayments you may have so the emergency credit is just used to cover the energy you are consuming.

The emergency credit is only available again when you have topped up enough to cover the emergency credit used + the daily standing charges + any debt repayment owed.

The 'Friendly credit' is only triggered if you were in credit before 6pm that day.

From what you describe, the £5 you topped up wasn't enough to cover the emergency credit you had used and the standing charges you owed at that point, so the availability of the emergency credit was not restored and since you were not in credit at any point today the 'friendly credit' trigger was not enabled either..

Your meter should be able to display how much you need to pay to restore the availability of the emergency credit at any time while you are using the emergency credit, I can't tell you how to do that on your meter, but it is likely that there isn't very much more to pay to re-enable the emergency credit...

welshmoneylover

Following what MWT says, you may need to top up your meter by more than £5; which actually is a low amount at this time of year.
are you back on supply yet?

MWT

It may not need much more than another couple of ££ to tip it over the amount owed, the exact amount should be able to be seen on the meter.

Sadly I suspect the OP is not going to be able to see this thread now until tomorrow

[Deleted User]

In terms of health and disability, do you claim PIP? I’d recommend looking into it if not.