Energy Bills Support Scheme Confusion

BigMac79

My GF just had a bill from EDF covering August to now. 

She was £180 in credit, used £1013 and paid them £1072. They’ve refunded her the £180 and are showing the government support as credits each month. But she’s now £314 in debit. 

How can this be when she’s paid them more than her actual usage? They’ve also decided her direct debit is going up by £100pm.

What is the point in them giving her £66 if it’s just getting added to her bill anyway? She’s no better off at all. 

ariarnia

hi big mac. 

is there any way you can take a picture of the bill and share it here (blacking out the personal details like address and meter numbers)? 

then we might be able to help you figure out whats happening. 

BigMac79

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pochase

EDF deducts the £67 from the total of the bill without mentioning it. 

So if you add up the subtotals for gas and electricity you will find that it it is higher than the total by the sum of the EBSS payments.

There is no line or anything explaining it, it is jus tthat the total is smaller than the sum of the subtotals.

So her real usage was 1346. of which 333 was paid by government. She should have received the 333 back into her account.

THe £180 credit was returned to her you say, so she starts at 0.

£1013 usage after government payment plus 1072DD payment would still male it a small credit, not a debit.

As @ariarna asked, please post the bill.

MWT

BigMac79 said:

My GF just had a bill from EDF covering August to now. 

She was £180 in credit, used £1013 and paid them £1072. They’ve refunded her the £180 and are showing the government support as credits each month. But she’s now £314 in debit. 

How can this be when she’s paid them more than her actual usage? They’ve also decided her direct debit is going up by £100pm.

What is the point in them giving her £66 if it’s just getting added to her bill anyway? She’s no better off at all. 

The bill detail will show what is going on, but in all probability, that total used of £1013 was reduced by a credit equal to the Government payments she will have had refunded to her, so she is better off to that extent.

The DD increase will reflect the fact that the credits from the Government end shortly with the final payment next month, and of course if her account really is in debt then that too will influence matters.

We do need to see the bill details to help her understand what is going on though.

BigMac79

So based on their estimation of the next billing period they’re saying she’s gonna spend 80% more in spring and summer than she spent in autumn and winter. Looking at their price increases for the period, they haven’t increased the prices by 80% so even if her usage was the same all year round that still wouldn’t make sense. 

PeterGr

The way EDF show the the Energy Bills support ( which is £333.00 of the £400 due) is to include it in the totals of energy charges for this billing period.  If you look at the VAT calculation the energy costs on this bill are actually £1346.08.   You are not alone in being confused by the way the bill is laid out.

ariarnia

BigMac79 said:

So based on their estimation of the next billing period they’re saying she’s gonna spend 80% more in spring and summer than she spent in autumn and winter. Looking at their price increases for the period, they haven’t increased the prices by 80% so even if her usage was the same all year round that still wouldn’t make sense. 

thank you for posting the bills. 

i'm not sure about the price increases but worth remembering that everyone's prices are going to go up by something like 20% on 1 april when the cap goes up. 

added to that the £400 over winter isnt being repeated. 

i can't do math at this time of the morning but does that add up to near 80% increase?

MWT

pochase said:

EDF deducts the £67 from the total of the bill without mentioning it. 

So if you add up the subtotals for gas and electricity you will find that it it is higher than the total by the sum of the EBSS payments.

There is no line or anything explaining it, it is jus tthat the total is smaller than the sum of the subtotals.

It is there on the bill just above the electricity charges section as a £333 credit...

pochase

As stated above the EBSS was deducted from the total


Refunds are the £333 EBSS and the £180.17 from the credit, wiping out her credit.

That leaves the usage she has to pay for £1013.07 and the direct debit payments made of £1032. This gives me a credit of £18.92.

The difference to the £314.18 she is in debt is exactly the £333 EBSS - the small credit.

The EBSS was deducted from her bill and it was also it was returned to her. So she did not pay 1032, she only paid £699.

The bill is correct and she will now need to pay the £314 off over the next 6 month.

MWT

BigMac79 said:

So based on their estimation of the next billing period they’re saying she’s gonna spend 80% more in spring and summer than she spent in autumn and winter. Looking at their price increases for the period, they haven’t increased the prices by 80% so even if her usage was the same all year round that still wouldn’t make sense. 

Not really, she spend approx. £1500 between August 22 - February 23  (need to add back the £333 credit) so they are predicting 20% increase in cost for the 6 months from February 23 - August 23 which doesn't seem unreasonable given the price levels last year and what we can predict is likely over the next 6 months...

Also the DD increase needs to recover the current shortfall on the account...