Bulb offering no help or care.

Xsensed

Hi all, I Moved into a new build 2009, frustingly prepauyent meters where fitted and contracted for the 1st 12 months. I didint see or feel the need to make any changes for many years after. Then  Scottish power pricing was on the up and becoming erratic , in 2019 and the key meters where driving me mad.  In 2019, I was sent countless letters, emails and documetns about smart meters, but for reasons I dont understand  it never came.

I Joined Bulb in 2020, who made similar promises. Pricing wise we saw huge savings, but once again the promise of Smart meter soon and the prepayments will come out anytime now, kept coming.  Fast forward 2 years and nothing has changed. Thats on me, I accept this I very little time, I'm a full time carer , for my parents, and 2 of 3 children have higher needs. I should left bulb sooner but here we and I feel stuck now. 


I topped up what I could to the preypayment meters, hoping it would delay the hike ( pre price surge earlier this year), though I wish I could have added more as it only give me 6 weeks of breathing space. Since the new rates have hit im now averaging around 50 pounds per week for electric alone, and the thought of 80% ontop soon is just not possible with what I have coming in and out. I've called a few times a week since mid july, I sit on live chat for upto an hour when i have time ( rarely) and when Im lucky enough to speak im just fed the same generic we will look into it lines. During 2022, I've fallen into debt and I've failed a soft credit check, so DD isn't available to me. Soemthing they forget to tell me 3 weeks ago, and I've been chasing a dead end since. I've invested in a power draw meter a month ago, and we;ve trimmed back as much as possible thoughs the prce im spending per week has barely improved.

I'm literally struggling now, before the increase to keep the meters from 0 pence and power going out. I  reached out again today just to be told my local council have to help. Every article, news channel has something out there but prepayment wise, i cant find anything concrete. They told me there no grants, no vouchers, codes or loans and I've been misinfromed. Can anyone point to factual links and advise what step to take next? Mentally im drained and not sleeping with worry. 

pochase

Bulb does not have any financial help like some other suppliers do.

https://help.bulb.co.uk/hc/en-us/articles/360039912112-Getting-help-if-you-re-struggling-with-your-energy-payments

You will get the £400 starting in October.

Aylesbury_Duck

Given that the £400 is possibly all the help you're going to get, is there anything else you can do to cut your consumption?  Post some details here on how you heat your home, how you use thermostats, etc. and people will advise if there's anything more you can be doing.

fatbelly

Xsensed said:

I'm literally struggling now, before the increase to keep the meters from 0 pence and power going out. I  reached out again today just to be told my local council have to help. Every article, news channel has something out there but prepayment wise, i cant find anything concrete. They told me there no grants, no vouchers, codes or loans and I've been misinfromed. Can anyone point to factual links and advise what step to take next? Mentally im drained and not sleeping with worry. 

There was a Bulb Energy Fund

https://citizensadviceplymouth.org.uk/bulb-energy/

but I understand it's been suspended

There are no easy answers.

You could pop over to the debt-free wannabe board and they'll ask you for a 'statement of affairs'

macman

You should also have your £150 CT rebate if in bands A to D?
Bulb are insolvent and in administration, so any discretionary help from them is unlikely.

MWT

There is a fairly exhaustive list here:

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/energy/energy-supply/get-help-paying-your-bills/grants-and-benefits-to-help-you-pay-your-energy-bills/

Quite a way down that list you'll see the British Gas Energy Trust mentioned, check that out as they do not require you to be a British Gas customer...

pochase

BG trust only helps if you are already in debt

• You must be seeking a grant to clear an outstanding debt on a current or open gas, electricity or dual fuel energy account in your name or be a member of that household, the energy account must relate to your main residence;

Hard to qualify on a prepaid account if you always were prepaid. 

QrizB

Welcome to the forum.

Prepayment is only a few pence a day more expensive than a credit account paid by DD, so your high bills aren't due to that.

Is the £50 a week you're spending on electricity due to current energy use or do you have debts on the meter that you are paying off?

If it's all due to energy use, you're a huge user. Something like 20-25 kWh a day, compared to the usual 6-10 that most people on this forum report. Do you know where it's all going? Do you have a hot tub, tropical fish, anything else that's always warm?

You say you have prepayment meters, so do you also have gas? How much are you spending on that?

Xsensed

pochase said:

Bulb does not have any financial help like some other suppliers do.

xxxx

You will get the £400 starting in October.

Great find thank you.

Aylesbury_Duck said:

Given that the £400 is possibly all the help you're going to get, is there anything else you can do to cut your consumption?  Post some details here on how you heat your home, how you use thermostats, etc. and people will advise if there's anything more you can be doing.

I guess it's a generic setup. We have a combi boiler, which was replaced 2 years ago and is maintained regularly. All settings on ECO or just below. fatbelly said:

Xsensed said:

I'm literally struggling now, before the increase to keep the meters from 0 pence and power going out. I  reached out again today just to be told my local council have to help. Every article, news channel has something out there but prepayment wise, i cant find anything concrete. They told me there no grants, no vouchers, codes or loans and I've been misinfromed. Can anyone point to factual links and advise what step to take next? Mentally im drained and not sleeping with worry. 

There was a Bulb Energy Fund

xxxxxx

but I understand it's been suspended

There are no easy answers.

You could pop over to the debt-free wannabe board and they'll ask you for a 'statement of affairs'

Thanks for that, I will certainly will

macman said:

You should also have your £150 CT rebate if in bands A to D?
Bulb are insolvent and in administration, so any discretionary help from them is unlikely.

Indeed that slipped my mind, we have had that yes

MWT said:

There is a fairly exhaustive list here:

xxxxx

Quite a way down that list you'll see the British Gas Energy Trust mentioned, check that out as they do not require you to be a British Gas customer...

Don't seem to be eligible, I have a friend mid the process of this currently,  and they need to submit detailed proof of debt, which I cannot as I don't or never had any. 

pochase said:

BG trust only helps if you are already in debt

• You must be seeking a grant to clear an outstanding debt on a current or open gas, electricity or dual fuel energy account in your name or be a member of that household, the energy account must relate to your main residence;

Hard to qualify on a prepaid account if you always were prepaid. 

Exactly what I thought.

QrizB said:

Welcome to the forum.

Prepayment is only a few pence a day more expensive than a credit account paid by DD, so your high bills aren't due to that.

Is the £50 a week you're spending on electricity due to current energy use or do you have debts on the meter that you are paying off?

If it's all due to energy use, you're a huge user. Something like 20-25 kWh a day, compared to the usual 6-10 that most people on this forum report. Do you know where it's all going? Do you have a hot tub, tropical fish, anything else that's always warm?

You say you have prepayment meters, so do you also have gas? How much are you spending on that?

 It's more of a convenience thing, I have not to plan to bounce or DD or not pay, but knowing I could call and ask for a day twos breathing room, open up myself to possible more help, and flexibility just gives me more confidence than seeing a meter on 50p and just waiting for power to drop


As I mentioned I purchased a tapo from TP link (power draw meter) it was very insightful but I'm going to have to do some further and longer testing to look for a culprit, otherwise, I'm baffled.

I thought I ad pinpointed several power heavy devices such as gaming PC that on 1st test I recorded just 125w, but I retested it last night and during actual "gaming" it draws nearly 300. Perhaps I've not been as thourough or factual as I had thought when I checked the bulk of the house some weeks back. We packed up the tun pre April, and don't have anything i'd consider heavy on energy. 

Gas yes, Is card only and it's barely used, so just throwing 10 pounds a week at that, or less. 

Thanks for all the help, I'm going back to the drawing board to recheck everything

brewerdave

I thought I ad pinpointed several power heavy devices such as gaming PC that on 1st test I recorded just 125w, but I retested it last night and during actual "gaming" it draws nearly 300. Perhaps I've not been as thourough or factual as I had thought when I checked the bulk of the house some weeks back. We packed up the tun pre April, and don't have anything i'd consider heavy on energy. 

Gas yes, Is card only and it's barely used, so just throwing 10 pounds a week at that, or less. 

Thanks for all the help, I'm going back to the drawing board to recheck everything

Some gaming PCs have graphics cards which draw ~ 300w on their own - someone posted measuring 600w on a gaming rig recently whilst playing.

Alnat1

As you're not using much gas, is that because you have electric showers? Not possible to Tapo those but they will be high use. Cutting the number of showers/time spent in shower can make a big difference.