SSE DD gas and elec better off SO?

crunch99

I am so fed up with SSE changing my direct debit amount frequently and also giving me less than 10days notice. I am on universal credit with disabilities- am I better off paying by standing order then when I receive the extra £600 use it to credit my gas and elec? I just can't keep up with the changes and short notice on my tight budget I need a fixed amount to work to not knowing if they are going to change it and I then can't afford food!

Ps I can't see any evidence of them working out my usage and including the government £400 they will deduct?

pip911

I am also with SSE, Ihave had so much trouble with them I had to contact the Ombudsman to sort it.
I have had a resolution now but still waiting for it to take effect.
The thing is I have a credit gas meter and a smart credit ( or will be soon ) electric meter.
SSE do not do a dual fuel account, so am I getting a poor deal, 
I want to pay monthly by SO or DD but dont know if I can trust them given my experience.
I am on Universal Credit due to ill health and suffer Mental Health so I forget to do stuff and have trouble thinking things through and understanding things.
Come October, do I fix or stay as I am ???, Totally confused

MattMattMattUK

crunch99 said:

I am so fed up with SSE changing my direct debit amount frequently and also giving me less than 10days notice. I am on universal credit with disabilities- am I better off paying by standing order 

Probably not, the standing charge and unit rates will be higher if you pay by Standing Order rather than Direct Debit. Can you see a reason why they are varying the amount, eg. estimated the actual readings, large fluctuations in usage?

crunch99 said:

£600 use it to credit my gas and elec?

The £400 component will go onto your energy account, it looks like at the moment as six instalments over a six month period. The £650 payment will be paid via Universal Credit and so you can use it in whatever way works best in terms of managing cashflow, that is nominally just a "cost of living" amount, it is not allocated spending in any way, unlike the £400 onto the energy bill.

crunch99 said:

I just can't keep up with the changes and short notice on my tight budget I need a fixed amount to work to not knowing if they are going to change it and I then can't afford food!

Normally energy providers set the Direct Debit for a period of time (eg. six months) unless there are substantial changes in energy usage. Is there anything that might be causing the revisions?

crunch99 said:

Ps I can't see any evidence of them working out my usage and including the government £400 they will deduct?

There will not be yet, this will be accounted for later in the year. There is also the October rise in the energy price cap to account for so once both the price cap and the exact method the £400 will be distributed is confirmed by the government to the energy providers then that can be accounted for in future Direct Debit payments, I would not expect this to happen until September at the earliest. 

MattMattMattUK

pip911 said:

I am also with SSE, Ihave had so much trouble with them I had to contact the Ombudsman to sort it.
I have had a resolution now but still waiting for it to take effect.
The thing is I have a credit gas meter and a smart credit ( or will be soon ) electric meter.
SSE do not do a dual fuel account, so am I getting a poor deal, 

Duel fuel tariffs do not make a difference any more, you do not get a worse deal by not being duel fuel. 

pip911 said:

I want to pay monthly by SO or DD but dont know if I can trust them given my experience.

Paying by Standing Order will cost you more than Direct Debit as the SVR is higher. You can pay by budget Direct Debit, or monthly variable/full bill Direct Debit, the former is easier for those on a constrained income to budget, the latter means lower bills in summer and higher bills in winter, so does not suit everyone. 

pip911 said:

I am on Universal Credit due to ill health and suffer Mental Health so I forget to do stuff and have trouble thinking things through and understanding things.
Come October, do I fix or stay as I am ???, Totally confused

The current advice is to stay on the SVR, that is based on a best guess scenario as no one has a crystal ball. If you feel unable to manage your finances then I urge you to seek assistance, either from a competent friend or family member, or from social services if required.