33% income on basic energy, what can I do ?

Scot_39

satanloans said:

Single living in one bed flat.
PC (keeps me sane) and fridge freezer I guess take most energy.
Washing machine once a week
Lights are all LED I always switch off what is not in use.

My income, like hundreds of thousands is UC £320 per month, a self proclaimed expert said only a handful of people are living in this arrangement. Incorrect. Badly. There are over 6 million people on Universal credit. 
My electricity and gas takes over £100 per month
My gas usage is more standing charge than usage

Reason for being on UC - no fault of my own. 
Severe head injury, nerve muscle and brain damage. 3 operations, the result is permanent. Severe panic attacks. I am no required to search for work, but I do not qualify for extra income. I do not leave the house. The person who did this to me, has no money worries. 

I have a push bike I love but dont ride. I dont go out because of my anxieties. Counselling didn't help. I refuse to take addictive drugs that dont fix the problem. I do take citalopram that ease the issue but not much. I sleep way too much. 

I have dark days. I feel there is no future. 

Some suppliers have or at least had special tariff rates for people struggling on benefit incomes.

And at the moment prices are forecast to be lower come April - which might relieve a little pressure on energy bills at least going forward.

EOn for instance gave some existing customers 25% off standard rates over winter (but with lower prices in order of 20-30% forecast to come starting in April then July  - possibly not next winter.)

Others iirc operate bespoke aid funds that can be claimed against for discretionary payments. As do some charities and many councils.

The £320 you mention isn't the current standard UC allowance on govuk - it says c£292 / c£368  under / over 25 - maybe last years rate or say a 4 week figure ? Or some adjustments in play for whatever reason.  Many of the 6m others will I suspect be claiming say child or rent benefits - and if retired they claim pension credit not universal credit per se.  But its not a decent payment by any stretch - compared to state pension or minimum wage levels.

C8m households got automatic cost of living payments - for being on means tested benefits - so hoping you checked and received - but certain disability aid payments did not qualify.
 
Your comments suggest your not on / entitled to disability payments though.  But if your health situation has deteriorated since last assessed - could it be worth reapplying - might be worth a discussion with GP. 

As you have clearly had some conversations re further aid guess you have been made aware of possible major help like with council tax rebate, less major with one off costs like dental and eye care etc  that UC can entitle you to - if not already getting as a default.  

But I'd perhaps consider talking to say CA or council about your wider benefits / income situation and any other entitlements or discretionary one off grants for help you may or not be aware of.   
They should also be able to help you apply and have conversations with those agencies like council or energy suppiers on your behalf if you would find that stressful.

Sometimes benefits offices advice is not always correct.  And an independent eye can help spot it - it did when my mother was underpaid £100s overnearly  2 years after dad died.

Even if may not be direct help with bills or financial aid - things like insulation - a grant for firm to fit simple door and window draft seals etc might be option - or new efficient heating to cut future bills etc. 
Various schemes exist for tennants and owners on that front - but change over time.  My disabled oap mum - owner - many years ago - got free thicker loft and cavity wall insulation for instance.

SAC2334

Firstly switch your supplier to Octopus then once with them and you have collected £50 for changing to the UK s best supplier ,then get Octopus to fit smart meters . Arrange to have the meter set in " credit " mode rather than " prepayment mode " .Then get onto Tracker for both gas and electric..You would be amazed at how cheap they are..You won't be spending £100 a month .
EDIT  IF the OP does not switch to Tracker cancel the advice to get your supplier to switch you to credit meter mode as the news today on MSE is that prepayment meters are now the cheapest way to pay from April 1  . Eg gas Yorkshire region is 5.79 p /kwh electric down to 22.58 p/kwh 

MeteredOut

OP, completely off topic for this board, but since you mention your computer, have you looked into the broadband social tariffs?

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-telecoms-and-internet/advice-for-consumers/costs-and-billing/social-tariffs

You may have to switch providers and/or accept a lower speed (if you have superfast BB).

FreeBear

SAC2334 said:

Firstly switch your supplier to Octopus then once with them and you have collected £50 for changing to the UK s best supplier ,then get Octopus to fit smart meters . Arrange to have the meter set in " credit " mode rather than " prepayment mode " .Then get onto Tracker for both gas and electric..You would be amazed at how cheap they are..You won't be spending £100 a month .

I switched to the Octopus Tracker for both gas and electricity last month. Early days, but it looks like I'll be saving 25-30% over what I was paying on the standard variable rates (which is again cheaper than prepay).

SAC2334

FreeBear said:

SAC2334 said:

Firstly switch your supplier to Octopus then once with them and you have collected £50 for changing to the UK s best supplier ,then get Octopus to fit smart meters . Arrange to have the meter set in " credit " mode rather than " prepayment mode " .Then get onto Tracker for both gas and electric..You would be amazed at how cheap they are..You won't be spending £100 a month .

I switched to the Octopus Tracker for both gas and electricity last month. Early days, but it looks like I'll be saving 25-30% over what I was paying on the standard variable rates (which is again cheaper than prepay).

Todays news on MSE is that prepayment meters are   now the cheapest way to pay . Yorkshire region gas is coming down 19.35% from 7.18 p /kwh to 5.79 p/kwh , Electric down from 27.35 p /kwh to 22.58 p/kwh . Anyone on smart meters should be asking their suppliers to switch them over to prepay mode . I m on Tracker when gas going over 5.79 p /kwh is a rare event 

FreeBear

SAC2334 said:

FreeBear said:

SAC2334 said:

Firstly switch your supplier to Octopus then once with them and you have collected £50 for changing to the UK s best supplier ,then get Octopus to fit smart meters . Arrange to have the meter set in " credit " mode rather than " prepayment mode " .Then get onto Tracker for both gas and electric..You would be amazed at how cheap they are..You won't be spending £100 a month .

I switched to the Octopus Tracker for both gas and electricity last month. Early days, but it looks like I'll be saving 25-30% over what I was paying on the standard variable rates (which is again cheaper than prepay).

Todays news on MSE is that prepayment meters are   now the cheapest way to pay . Yorkshire region gas is coming down 19.35% from 7.18 p /kwh to 5.79 p/kwh , Electric down from 27.35 p /kwh to 22.58 p/kwh . Anyone on smart meters should be asking their suppliers to switch them over to prepay mode . I m on Tracker when gas going over 5.79 p /kwh is a rare event 

Looking at https://dashboards.energy-stats.uk/d/5cZqqmf4z/user-dashboard?orgId=1&var-area_name=Eastern_England over the last year, electricity has averaged 18.6p and gas, 4.5p (Eastern region). Even with the new price cap, I'll be better off on Tracker as long as wholesale prices remain low. Savings won't be as great though.

satanloans

I have tried twice to have someone independent look through my benefits and both of them, one appointed by the council and one appointed by my housing association, disappeared and I never heard from them again in the last 2 years. I chased them up to no avail. I check in with my advisor on UC and he is a kind man but limited in his power to do anything other than follow rules. He doesn't make me get sicknotes but his peers have decided my circs are set and wont change but I maintain they dont understand. They dont care what that means. 

This winter I used zero heating. It would be an oil filled radiator if I had. It is currently very cold in my flat but blankets and festering are the only solution. My gas is only used for hot water and I shower twice per month. Wash dishes. thats it. The rest is electricity. 

Your Tariffs

Electricity: Safeguard PAYG
Gas: Safeguard PAYG

Thank you for the kind comments and attempts to help. I don't see a way forward if I am honest. I'm sick enough not to have to work but not dead enough to qualify for heating that prisoners get. 

This is the guy who is responsible for my injuries. I'm not sure who's worse off. Most I do is go to the local shop if I am feeling well enough. 

If I have missed any questions, I am sorry. It was a lot to take in. I will read back shortly. 

Krakkkers

All i can advise is Citizens advice bureau and maybe this https://www.gov.uk/claim-compensation-criminal-injury

Spoonie_Turtle

satanloans said:

I have tried twice to have someone independent look through my benefits and both of them, one appointed by the council and one appointed by my housing association, disappeared and I never heard from them again in the last 2 years. I chased them up to no avail. I check in with my advisor on UC and he is a kind man but limited in his power to do anything other than follow rules. He doesn't make me get sicknotes but his peers have decided my circs are set and wont change but I maintain they dont understand. They dont care what that means. 

Please do come over to the benefits board if you can manage it.  The main solution here seems to be to increase your income and truly there are members well placed to advise whether you may qualify for LCWRA (the extra money on UC) and/or PIP.

I'm sorry people offline have completely let you down.  Although I'm glad your UC work coach is kind, they truly are pretty powerless when it comes to actually helping people (and any capability for work decision is made by different staff anyway, as I'm sure you probably know - and staff that have never met you, at that).  But as a starting point the LCWRA criteria are here, exactly the same as the ESA Support Group https://www.entitledto.co.uk/help/esa_criteria
For some conditions PIP is less of a high bar than UC LCWRA, but the full overview is more than should be posted off-topic here on the energy board.

MeteredOut

MeteredOut said:

Agree with the above to post on the benefits board, but since this is the energy board...

Have you validated that £100 is covering your actual gas and electric usage? If you post your actual kWh usage over the past year/few bills, we might be able to determine whether these are high for a one-bed flat and whether any savings can be made by tweaking how you use your energy.

But probably more important initially, you want to check your bills are not estimates. If so, they could either be too high (in which case you might be able to get some credit back) or too low, which you want to know about now, so you don't end up with debit balance and an increase in your DD in future - it lets you take action now. 

Do you have a smart meter sending readings to your supplier?

satanloans Definitely go to the benefits board for here there, but for energy purposes, we need more information. Can you review the above and provide details?