How much has your energy direct debit increased by in the last two months? 13 April 2022 at 9:46AM in MoneySaving polls 3 replies 43 views

whatdoyoumean

Up until April 2022 I was paying £105 per month for my gas and electricity bill by direct debit to Shell. They have just put it up to £423 per month. I stopped the direct debit so I wouldn't have to fight to get the money back, and I asked to be billed monthly in arrears only for the energy I have used and for which I provide the readings. So they sent me a bill for over £500 pounds to be paid by 12 April. The email was a no-reply type. We use our energy very sparingly and have decreased our use, not increased it. I can't understand where they got these figures from. I have paid in full every month and don't have any outstanding debt with them. It's hard to speak to anybody at Shell and I am having to communicate via twitter DM. On principle I would like to change supplier following this treatment. What is the best deal in UK at present? Are Shell punishing customers who refuse to have a smart meter? Is there a poll that compares treatment of smart meter customers against traditional meters?

Zorroz

Our dual fuel direct debit with Octopus went up from £119.50 to £273.08 a staggering increase of 128.52% and we'd expected an increase of around 54% as Martin had kept indicating to the British public on various TV programmes and in his MSE emails. As pensioners, my wife and I will struggle to find the extra £1,842.96. I have several health conditions, which restrict me to our house and we need to use energy throughout the day and cannot reduce it any further. We only live in a 3-bedroom semi in Stockport and today general inflation hits 7% without the domestic energy price increases. Is double digit inflation on the way? We followed Martin's advice at the time to stick with our current supplier. We've challenged Octopus and their response is that it sets up well for the next domestic energy increase due next October as our deal is fixed until next April. What can we do, but "grin and bear it", but there are many who can't! Any advice?

TheMilkmansDad

Is your bill correct and based on actual usage?

If you we're on a monthly DD and they requested it to raise by that amount it would imply that your balance is in Debt and the increase is to bring you back to credit and maintain it in credit going forwards.

TheMilkmansDad

Zorroz said:

Our dual fuel direct debit with Octopus went up from £119.50 to £273.08 a staggering increase of 128.52% and we'd expected an increase of around 54% as Martin had kept indicating to the British public on various TV programmes and in his MSE emails. As pensioners, my wife and I will struggle to find the extra £1,842.96. I have several health conditions, which restrict me to our house and we need to use energy throughout the day and cannot reduce it any further. We only live in a 3-bedroom semi in Stockport and today general inflation hits 7% without the domestic energy price increases. Is double digit inflation on the way? We followed Martin's advice at the time to stick with our current supplier. We've challenged Octopus and their response is that it sets up well for the next domestic energy increase due next October as our deal is fixed until next April. What can we do, but "grin and bear it", but there are many who can't! Any advice?

This implies that you've signed up to a fix and not he SVR tariff, if that is the case then the DD increase would be correct. The average 54% is based on the SVR (capped) tariff and does not relate to Fix tariffs.

Please confirm if you are on a Fix or variable tariff, depending on the tariff rates you may be better on the SVR.