[retrotecchie]

@SheilaG7

Do you have smart meters or have you submitted a manual reading? Do you pay by fixed monthly DD or full amount of bill?

Your energy account is in debit, because a bill has been applied. Your bank account has been credited with the payment rather than your account adjusted.

If you pay on fixed DD, you dip into debit in winter as your bills are higher than your monthly amount...it then swings the other way in summer when the bills are smaller than your DD. Over a year, it averages out about right.

[SheilaG7]

@retrotecchie Yes I have a smart meter so readings are submitted automatically. I pay on a fixed direct debit so yes could possibly dip into debit in the winter but I will keep an eye on my statements and if needed I can always pay what I can as a one off payment if I think it is too much debit.

[retrotecchie]

@SheilaG7

All good then. If you can spare the funds, I would be inclined to try and top your account up as much as you can within reason, ready for when the Government support runs out and the prices go up again in April. I'm a low user, electric only so the £66/67 just about covers my monthly bills. What I would have paid, without the handout, I'm topping up my account with manually as well, to try and be ahead of the game when it all goes mad next spring. I'm lucky as I have such low bills anyway, but things will be a struggle next year with extra price rises.

[SheilaG7]

@retrotecchie Yes all good thank goodness! I'm disabled so am home most of the time with gas central heating so need the heat for my health. I got the £150 government help and paid that into my account. I pay just over £130 dual fuel then the £67 taken off that so I definitely will be paying whatever I can to help with next spring's rise.

[Mailman]

I too have had my statement issued in a faster-than-usual time frame. Smart meter readings taken on 1st December (as they should be). No provisional (gas) transaction for the first time in ages (very unusual) and a faster resulting production of statement with me this morning (2nd December). £67 yet to show on my account as a transaction but expect to see it appear over the weekend.

[retrotecchie]

@SheilaG7

Well, in theory the prices will go up, but by then hopefully we won't need so much heating. So fingers crossed, one will somewhat cancel out the other. Of course, another set of hikes at the beginning of July and another October one just as it's getting chilly again.

I just don't want to look too far ahead right now...I'm taking it one trauma at a time. My other half is disabled...she's not liking things much either but it is what it is. We'll just get through Christmas and see how things look nearer the time. Anyway, take care of you and stay warm!

[meldrewreborn]

@retrotecchie the new EPG is scheduled to last till the next election in 2024. Prices from OFGEM look likely to fall from q2 of 2023 but EPG of £3,000 will still be lower. Therefore prices up 20% from April next. As you say not much in the way of heating cost from April. So outside possibility of prices falling under the EPG next autumn. I doubt the government will help much from then on, arguing that wages, benefits and pension have increased and those increases cover the extra cost of energy.

I’m saying that’s what I expect, not that it’s what I would do.