MSE Poll: How do you pay for your energy bills?

MSE_Emily_W

Poll started 20 September 2022

The hideous 80% increase in the energy price cap has, thankfully, been cancelled, and replaced by a new two-year energy price guarantee that'll take the typical bill to £2,500 a year. But everyone will still get £400 off their bills from October – though how this will work depends on how you pay for your gas and electricity. With so much happening with energy at the moment, we want you to tell us how you pay for your bills, as this'll help us with the campaigning work we're doing.

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born_again

Might have helped to have:

DD monthly estimated readings or DD monthly accurate meter readings. etc

As I know, while paying a fixed monthly DD I get a bill for my actual usage (read myself), so know the credit balance is spot on. Where as many will be the same payment but purely on estimated readings. So they may get a shock later when a actual reading is made & that perceived credit is actually a debit.

Spies

I'm on a variable direct debit, so only the balance is taken via DD - which option should I choose as I assume direct debit monthly option, assumes its a fixed amount?

MovingForwards

Take my readings each month, submit them and pay the bill straightaway.

Justdontwasteit

Also on monthly variable DD, based on my actual meter readings. Not really the same as a monthly amount set by supplier, usually to try to get you into credit, to their advantage.

Pmatt

I use variable direct debit for my electricity bill and I submit meter readings every month so that the payment made is for the electricity I have used. 

I should like to have a similar arrangement for my central heating, but as gas is not available I have to buy heating oil in advance of use this has more than doubled in the past few months. I’m still waiting to find out if I will receive any energy price guarantee payment for the oil I have had to buy recently that will last until about the end of this year and will I receive anything for my next oil purchase.

newlywed

Confused by the options… prepayment top up and payment card

prepayment smart meter or prepayment via pay point shop?

Flydrive

What about those who have to pay out large sums,in advance, for oil? No mention of that, and oil has gone up by 200-300%!

DavePumpkin

Prepayment Meters - I have some experiences some might find interesting.

I bought an old bungalow in Feb that had prepayment Gas and Elec (NOT smart-) meters, with top-up card/key left for me that I continued using.  (a) I followed MSE advice and topped up as much as possible before April22. (b) Rates on the Gas meter still went up 'automatically' in April (I've heard, reprogrammed by an earlier card top-up), but Electric meter did not!  (c) I still have a lot of credit on the electric key (£250 = max), and can't use it until meter itself (also max £250 - go figure!) gets down to zero.  Then when I use that old key, I believe it will still keep/use the old rate, as the key will only reprogram the meter with new rate after it gets reprogrammed itself when topped up at the Post Office.  (d) My neighbour kept telling me Prepayment Meters are more expensive to run than usual monthly/quarterly/direct-debit bills payments and I should get rid of them.  I thought the same, BUT - unless I'm missing something here - I'm actually better off - the prepayment rates are >LESS< than the normal bill rates (looking at British Gas, E.On, Octupus quoted rates)! Even after the increases since April.  Go figure!  So I'm sticking with Prepayment!  (e) If you have a choice, I suggest do NOT change to a Smart Meter!!  The companies can easily change their rates remotely without you knowing or realizing (not to mention horror stories I've heard of incorrect charging using them!)