please help

Loubie47

Hi please before I write the whole post out is this the right place to ask for advice on end of contract with edf and whether to fix again until 2024 or go for the variable...
if this is the right place to post I can re port all the numbers and request advice
many thanks.

GingerTim

It is indeed.

pochase

Yes this is the right forum.

Loubie47

many thanks, I will get to work typing out the figures and if anyone could tell me what's the best option I would really appreciate it.
I am my nana's POA and I don't really understand all of this and desperately want to get it right. Be right back.

Loubie47

ok so my nana is with EDF for both her gas and electric and her fixed term is about to end on 31st Aug... She lives alone and is very thrifty and old school so not wasteful with her utilities and has a small usage for her  2 bed bungalow.
so the rate she pays now is as follows
her D/D is £153 per month
Unit Rate Elec 18.36p kwph
Gas 3.60p Kwph
standing charge per day
elec 24.59 PD
Gas 27.35PD 

EDITED I just called for her yearly totals and they are as follows:
Electric 3909 KW
Gas 7020 KW
As stated further on in the post she has only been living alone since April as previous to this it was a 5 person household, so its going to be difficult to gage a years use with just 1 person in the home..

Advice needed on which to opt for based on these prices given on 20/8/2022
Fixed 2 yr tariff
Early exit £200
Direct Debit per month £344.00 
Unit rate Elec 63.41kwph
Gas 19.61kwph
Standing Charge per day
Elec 51.62 PD
Gas 27.22 PD
yearly Projection
Electric £2637.66
Gas £1476.10

Variable Non Fix tariff
Direct debit monthly £162.00
Unit rate Elec 28.41 kwph
Gas 7.76 kwph
Standing charge per day
Elec 51.62
Gas 27.22
Yearly projection
Electric £1308.98
Gas £485

Im so confused ad really want to do what's right, I have spoken with her as she has capacity but absolutely gets flustered as she does not understand the difference between fixed and variable.
I feel like I the variable may be a better option, cancel the Direct debit and go old school, give those meter readings and pay over the telephone rather than worry that they will be upping and downing the direct debit as she only lives on a basic pension.
She does qualify for the winter payment which will help but I really need some guidance and the fixed seems way too much for her to afford, I believe her pension is only around £500 per month.
Many thanks for anyone stopping by to help out with this post 

pochase

First and most important don't cancel the direct debit, it will the increase the cost for whatever you chose to do if the 7% direct debit discount falls away.

EDF offers a variable direct debit under the name Whole amount direct debit. You submit monthly readings and get a bill a few days later and another few days later it is debited from the bank account. you have the same problems that you would have with pay the bills manual, low bills in summer, and hug bills in winter. If we go from their estimate of almost £4000 per year there could be a a bill of £600 to £800 in January as the coldest month.  So you need to put the money aside you would use otherwise for a fixed direct debit.

You have not given any usage figures, what was the usage for gas and electricity over a 12 months period.

If the estimates are anything to go by especially for electricity she is not frugal at all, she uses more than average, almost 4000Kwh, while gas is on the low side.

Once you have given real usage data it will be much easier to give more advice.

Loubie47

Hi yes I realised I hadn't got the usage down, I will add that they set the direct debit at that amount after her son and partner moved out as said that this price is based on 1 person in the home, she is always in credit but yes I will call up and find out those details and update this post thank you for your advice.

Robin9

If @pochases thought of electricity being high and gas low is correct.  Is she using an immersion to heat her water instead of the gas; ?  Is she using fan heaters / oil filled rads instead of the gas heating ?


Looking beyond electricity and gas.

Does she get any pension credits?  That opens the door to other things like £140 warm homes discount.

Did she get the £150 ?

I assume she gets the single persons Council Tax

LindsayT

Apart from giving real usage data as pochase said, when you say you believe her pension is only around £500 a month, I'm assuming you are talking state pension, is that correct? If so, her pension is low and if she hasn't got any other income, she should be applying for pension credit. Personally, I would go for the variable but it's horses for courses at the moment.

Loubie47

Ive just had a look online and is only showing her annual consumption is estimates for the gas and electric, why when I always give meter readings I don't know.. but I will call up tomorrow and get firm figures

pochase

Or just give us meter readings 12 months apart. It does not really matter from when they are as long as they are 12 months apart.