Paper Billing for Elderly Relative

[Deleted User]

I'm looking for a new energy supplier for an elderly relative. One stipulation is it must have paper billing/pay on receipt of bill as they "don't do" direct debits.

They are currently on some fixed British Gas tariff they were put on when they took over Ebico which is about to end.

We are not looking for the cheapest on the market supplier, just trying to find something cheaper than British Gas but still with Paper Billing.

milgo

If you go to the comparison website https://energycompare.citizensadvice.org.uk/. You can actually filter your search result to include paper billing and pay on receipt of bill. 

[Deleted User]

Tried that but all the suppliers still want DD details when you click through.

MWT

You will probably need to call rather than doing it all online as DD is always the preferred method.

Neil_Jones

Deleted_User said:

I'm looking for a new energy supplier for an elderly relative. One stipulation is it must have paper billing/pay on receipt of bill as they "don't do" direct debits.

They are currently on some fixed British Gas tariff they were put on when they took over Ebico which is about to end.

We are not looking for the cheapest on the market supplier, just trying to find something cheaper than British Gas but still with Paper Billing.

Well the easy solution here is to start "doing" direct debit, and then somebody else (you?) can print the bill out for them, if that's what they want.

You'll probably find if there is somebody who will do pay on receipt they'll charge you for the privilege of receiving a paper bill, which sort of negates any other savings you may have had. https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/bills/article-7750407/Energy-suppliers-charging-93-year-paying-cash-cheque.html - "Energy suppliers charge up to £93 a year more for those paying by cash or cheque" - article is from 2019 but still valid 15 months later.

That, or you'll end up paying more regardless if you use any method other than direct debit. 

ellie99

My elderly relative gets paper bills from Scottish Power, she hands them to me to pay every month. I'm sure she could get cheaper on DD but it's not extortionate.

Hasbeen

Deleted_User said:

Tried that but all the suppliers still want DD details when you click through.

Is that not so, if you do not pay on receipt of bill they have the authority to take it direct from bank??

Why do you not phone the suppliers that are of interest, and ask.

[Deleted User]

Neil_Jones said:

Well the easy solution here is to start "doing" direct debit, and then somebody else (you?) can print the bill out for them, if that's what they want.

  

I almost knew I would get a reply like this. They want paper billing they can manage themselves, they don't want direct debits (they don't have direct debits set up for anything). Like I said we're looking for the cheapest with paper billing not the cheapest ultimate tariff on the market.

MovingForwards

I'm with Scottish Power, pay on receipt of bill and they send paper bills out, wouldn't deliberately pick them as a supplier though.

[Deleted User]

https://help.bulb.co.uk/hc/en-us/articles/115003609972-Paper-statements

[Deleted User]

[Deleted User] said:

https://help.bulb.co.uk/hc/en-us/articles/115003609972-Paper-statements

I'm with Bulb myself. They will send out a paper statement to people who request it but it's still monthly payments by direct debit.