Energy pre-payment meters

wheelywitch

What ‘if anything’ can people on pre-payment meters do to improve things for themselves?
My friend is a single parent with three young teenagers who use a computer etc for school work and socialising. Despite taking all the measures recommended to cut gas and electricity usage they are finding it impossible to keep up with the rate of top ups required and often have to go to bed when the meter runs out. They are with Eon next and live in south Essex in rented accommodation. Their request to swap to direct debit has been declined. Any advice would be much appreciated. 

pochase

wheelywitch said:

What ‘if anything’ can people on pre-payment meters do to improve things for themselves?
My friend is a single parent with three young teenagers who use a computer etc for school work and socialising. Despite taking all the measures recommended to cut gas and electricity usage they are finding it impossible to keep up with the rate of top ups required and often have to go to bed when the meter runs out. They are with Eon next and live in south Essex in rented accommodation. Their request to swap to direct debit has been declined. Any advice would be much appreciated. 

Welcome to the forum.

The difference in cost between prepaid and credit meter is 90£ per year or 25p per day.

So at current SVT they she would gain less than 1 additional KWh, from October  a bit of over half a KWh by changing to to credit meter.

From what you are describing the change to credit meter would result in debt, which would result in being put on a prepaid meter, with part of the payment going into debt repayment, being worse off than before.

What was the usage over the last 12 months?

MWT

wheelywitch said:

... they are finding it impossible to keep up with the rate of top ups required and often have to go to bed when the meter runs out. They are with Eon next and live in south Essex in rented accommodation. Their request to swap to direct debit has been declined. Any advice would be much appreciated. 

Assuming they are on the standard variable rate tariff, there isn't a lot of cost difference between pre-pay and DD, so if they struggle to keep the lights on with Pre-Pay then moving to DD is just going to get them into debt, especially with the prices due to go up soon...

Helping them to understand what is using the energy and where they might be able to further reduce that is the only way to balance the budget unfortunately... if they have already done things like cooking meals for everyone at the same time, reducing shower times if it is an electric shower etc.and are still running out on money there isn't much more to do other than making sure they are getting all the financial help they are entitled to receive...

Northern_Wanderer

Unfortunately the reality of predicted £3700 average annual energy bills by next summer is going to be very uncomfortable for very many people. A big reality check coming for sure and I predict that many will be put on prepayment meters.

roy_harper

https://www.southend.gov.uk/extra-financial-help/essential-living-fund
They say they help with fuel costs.  It's not just Southend, it's for any Essex resident.  Hope this helps.

wild666

If using electric and gas just turn down the temperatures on the boiler to 50 degrees for water and 55 degrees for heating and reduce the thermostat to 18 degrees. With electric turn off everything at the socket that's not in use except the fridge, freezer and router. Teach the children to tur appliances like PC's off at the wall socket when not in use and not leave charging leads plugged in with the switch in the on position.

When I said everything earlier I mean cooker, microwave, shower switch, TV, games consoles, smart speakers and everything else that was left in standby mode. It might only save pennies per day but add that over a week or month and it can turn into pounds per month, in my case £19 per month, 2.4 kWh per day, 74.4 kWh over 31 days  

Northern_Wanderer

wild666 said:

If using electric and gas just turn down the temperatures on the boiler to 50 degrees for water and 55 degrees for heating and reduce the thermostat to 18 degrees.

There are other discussions about boiler temperature and turning it down to 55C does not neccesarily save on gas but might mean the house takes longer to heat up or never really becomes warm, it depends on many factors. Although I suspect that many people will find any gas use for heating exhorbitant in cost come winter if not already.

PennineAcute

Sadly, for the time being, the days of cheap gas and electricity are over.  The story you tell will probably be happening all over the country.

As a single person, I have had to really cut back on my energy use.  The only other thing I can cut back on, which would break my heart, is getting rid of my fish tank - which I have had for three years (since my dog passed away).  But even this would only save me (at today's prices) 38p a day.

It's back to the good old days of sharing baths, getting undressed under the bed clothes, darning socks, and so on.